LAKE CHARLES—McNeese softball split its Southland Conference doubleheader against Houston Christian on Wednesday to improve to 28-18 overall and 12-9 in the SLC. The Huskies fall to 7-34 overall and 4-17 in the SLC.
HCU won the first game of the doubleheader 6-4 and the Cowgirls ended the series like it began with a run-rule win. McNeese won the rubber game 10-2 (5 inn.).
HCU took a 3-1 lead in the second inning on four hits, two wild pitches and one pass ball to push their runs across the plate. The Huskies added single runs in the fourth, fifth, and seventh innings to lead 6-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Cowgirls made an attempt to tie the game when
Corine Poncho double down the third base line to score
Rylee Cloud to cut the lead to 6-3. After a wild pitch moved Poncho to third base Makaya Daigle double to left to score Poncho to pull McNeese to within two runs. The Cowgirls brought the tying run to the plate twice but couldn't get the hit they needed to potential tie the game.
In the nightcap, HCU took the early lead again by scoring two runs in the first inning on two hits and two Cowgirl errors.
McNeese got a run back in the bottom half of the inning on a RBI double by
Rylee Cloud that scored
Maddie Weeks who reached on a single to center.
The Cowgirls tacked on five runs on four hits including a two RBI homerun by Corrine Poncho. Four more runs were scored in the fourth for a 9-2 lead.
After an HCU pitching change in the seventh inning, Poncho sent the first ball she saw over the left field wall with a walk off homerun to end the game. The homerun was her second of the game and her sixth of the season. Poncho ended the day 4 for six with two homeruns, one double, five RBI and scored three runs.
Kynlei Chapman took the loss in the first game falling to 5-6 on the season.
Brookelyn Taylor improved to 10-6 with the game two win.
McNeese will remain home to host Stephen F. Austin in a Southland Conference series this weekend. A single game is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. The series will conclude with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday. The 2026 seniors will be honored following Saturday's doubleheader.
