LAKE CHARLES—McNeese softball stranded seven base runners including five in scoring position and couldn't get the timely hit in a 3-1 loss to Louisiana Tech Tuesday night.  The loss to Tech is the second in three days.  The Bulldogs run-ruled the Cowgirls 8-0 in six innings Sunday on the final day of the LSU Purple and Gold Challenge.
 
McNeese (12-9) missed its first scoring opportunity in the first inning when Samantha Mundine and Alexis Dibbley were left stranded on second and third with one out.  Emily Phillips flew out to right, and Rylie Bouvier ground out to second to strand both runners.
 
The Cowgirls broke a scoreless game in the third inning on a Bouvier sacrifice fly to left that scored Crislyne Moreno.  Moreno led off the bottom half of the inning with a single.
 
La. Tech (13-4) scored three runs on two hits and one McNeese error in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. 
 
Nicole Hammoude led the inning off with a solo homerun to tie the game at one apiece before taking the 3-1 lead on a RBI double by Alannah Rogers. 
 
McNeese once again put runners in scoring position with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but Tech's second reliever Brook Melnychuk got Bouvier to swing for the third out to end the inning.  Melnychuk was flawless in relief for the Bulldogs as she retired all seven batters she faced to pick up her first save of the season.
 
Mundine was the bright spot for the Cowgirls on offense, picking up three of the seven Cowgirl hits.  Chloe Gomez collected the only McNeese extra base hit, a double in the fifth.
 
Lindsay Davis fell to 2-4 on the year with the loss.  Davis tossed 4 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on four hits with two walks and struck out three. 
 
McNeese will host Houston Wednesday night in a single game beginning at 6 p.m.