LAKE CHARLES--  McNeese softball defeated Kansas City for the second time in as many days with a 5-4 win on Sunday to conclude the Cowgirl Classic.  The win lifts McNeese to 10-4 overall while Kansas City remained winless on the season at 0-9.

Emma Banks' first collegiate start didn't go as planned as she allowed one run on one hit, two walks, and struck out one in the four batters she faced in the first inning as the Roos took an  early 1-0 lead.

McNeese's bats came alive in the third inning when the Cowgirls scored three runs on five hits including back-to-back homeruns by Alexis Dibbley and Jada Muñoz that put the Cowgirls up 2-1.  An RBI double to right by Brylie Fontenot brought Rylie Bouvier home for a 3-1 lead.  Bouvier reached base on a single to left.

The Roos tacked on a single run in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-2 but the Cowgirls got the run back in the bottom of the fifth on Muñoz's second homerun of the game to extend the Cowgirls lead to 4-2.

A leadoff homerun in the sixth by Derika Castillo brought the Roos to within one run (4-3) again but once again the Cowgirls responded with a run in their bottom half of the inning to lead 5-3 on a sacrifice fly by Kassidy Chance that scored Nyjah Fontenot.

Lauren Parker crossed the plate for Kansas City in the seventh to once again pull to within one run (5-4), but the Cowgirls second reliever Kadence Williams got Ava Martinez to ground out to Bouvier at first, a fly to right by Briona Woods for the second out before giving up a single to Kendyl Anderson that represented the tying run.

Cowgirl catcher Onna McElroy then threw out the Roos pinch runner Mary Cunningham at second in an attempt to steal to end the game.  
Muñoz ended the game going 2 for 3 with two RBI and scored two runs. Maddie Taylor, who relieved Banks in the first inning, ended the game with a season high seven strikeouts.  Taylor struck out the first five batters she faced before giving up the first of her three hits allowed. Taylor improved to 5-1 on the season with the win.