LAKE CHARLES---  McNeese softball held on for a 6-4 Southland Conference win over Northwestern State Friday night in the first game of its home opening conference series.  The series will end with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday that is scheduled to broadcast on ESPN+.  
 
McNeese improves to 15-13 overall and 2-2 in the SLC with the win while Northwestern State falls to 3-22 overall and 0-4 in the SLC.
 
The Cowgirls picked up 10 hits in the game with Nyjah Fontenot leading the way with a 3 for 4 plate appearance including one double.  Kassidy Chance and Jada Muñoz both had two hits apiece, one of which was a double.
 
Maddie Taylor improved to 6-5 on the season with the win after allowing four runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.  Ryann Schexnayder picked up her second save of the season after facing four batters and allowing one hit.
 
McNeese took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Rylie Bouvier was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom half of the inning.  Bouvier moved into scoring position on a single up the middle by Brylie Fontenot then scored on a single up the middle by Sarah Allen.
 
Two more runs on one hit in the fourth gave McNeese a 3-0 lead.  Maddie Taylor's sacrifice fly to centerfield scored Brylie Fontenot then pinch runner Onna McElroy came home to score on a double to center by Chance.
 
NW State got on the board in the fifth with a single run, but the Cowgirls responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to extend its lead to 5-1. Bouvier's sacrifice fly scored Muñoz, who led off with a double to left.  Reese Reyna doubled to left center to score Nyah Fontenot to give the Cowgirls a four-run lead.
 
With one out in the sixth, NW State picked up four straight hits including a two RBI double off Taylor to cut the Cowgirl lead to 5-4.  After a Cowgirl pitching change, Kadence Williams got Sophia Livers to pop out for the second out.  A fielder's choice brought the fourth NW State run home. Taylor allowed a walk to Peyton Peck to load the bases but got out of the inning by striking out Brynn Daniel.
 
McNeese got one run back in the sixth on a two out single by Nyjah Fontenot that scored Muñoz from second for the 6-4 lead.  Muñoz singled through the left side with two outs then moved into scoring position on a wild pitch before scoring.
 
Northwestern State threatened again in the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out, but Schexnayder got Camryn Becnel to pop out to Bouvier at first base for the second out and got Livers to a fly out to Nyjah Fontenot in center to end the game.