LAKE CHARLES--  For the second straight game, Junior Jil Poullard provided the game winning hit, a solo home run in the fourth inning to lift McNeese to a 3-2 win over 12^th ranked Washington (9-2) here Monday.  The win is also the second consecutive win against a ranked team.  McNeese defeated No. 22 North Texas 4-2 in the final game of the Tracy Beard College Classic on Sunday. 
 
McNeese improves to 9-2 on the season and have won five of their last six games including the last four.  The Cowgirls will host South Alabama at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
 
Poullard started the scoring for the Cowgirls in the second inning when she singled behind first base and came all the way home on a throwing error, in an attempt to throw her out at third base for the 1-0 lead.
 
McNeese added a run in the third when Erin Ardoin and Chloe Gomez both hit back-to-back singles with one out.  Ardoin advanced to third on Gomez's hit then scored on a sac bunt by Alayis Seneca for the 2-0 lead.
 
Washington evened the score in the fourth inning when Madison Huskey hit a two RBI homerun to tie the game at two apiece.
 
In the bottom half of the fourth inning is when Poullard homered to straightaway centerfield with one out to give the Cowgirls the 3-2 lead.
 
After giving up the homerun in the fourth, Whitney Tate (4-0) retired 11 of the next 13 batters she faced, giving up only two singles to pick up the complete game win. Tate allowed four hits in the game, struck out two with one walk.
 
NOTES
• It's the fourth straight win for the Cowgirls
• The homerun by Poullard is her second straight game winning hit in as many games.  Here homerun against #22 North Texas proved to be the game winning hit in the 4-2 win on Sunday.
• Senior Whitney Tate improved to 4-0 on the year with the win. In today's win, Tate allowed one walk, only her second of the season.