McNeese Softball hands 23rd ranked Mississippi State its first loss of the season

Staff Reports

The Contraband

The McNeese softball team knocked off its second ranked opponent of the season by handing Mississippi State, the 23rd ranked team its first loss (10-1) of the season in an 8-4 contest Friday night at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic. The win is also the Cowgirls’ second win over an SEC opponent this season. McNeese handed Ole Miss a 2-1 loss last weekend at the Troy Classic.

The Cowgirls will continue tournament play by facing Jackson State at 12:30 p.m. and Southern Miss at 3 p.m. Saturday. McNeese and Mississippi State will meet up again on Sunday in a 12:30 p.m. contest.

McNeese (8-2) pounded out 11 hits in the game including four extra base hits with two doubles and two triples. Tori Yanitor led the Cowgirls with three hits including a double and knocked in two runs. Erika Piancastelli and Shanice Hagler had two hits apiece while Vincent, who was the winning pitcher helped her cause with two RBI and a triple.

In the circle, Vincent improved to 3-0 on the year with the complete game. She gave up four earned runs on seven hits, struck out nine and walked three.

McNeese took a quick 1-0 lead after Marisa Taunton and Erika Piancastelli drew walks in the first inning. Taylor Schmidt reached on a fielder’s choice, moving Taunton to third. Schmidt stole second before Tori Yanitor grounded out to the shortstop, scoring Taunton for the first run of the game.

The Cowgirls extended their lead to 3-0 in the third on a wild pitch and a Mississippi State error. After a ground out by Taunton, Piancastelli single to first and moved all the way to third on a single up the middle by Morgan Catron. A wild pitch scored Piancastelli and Catron scored on an error in an attempt to get her out at the plate.

Mississippi State cut the Cowgirl lead 3-2 with two runs on three hits and one error. Emily Heimberger singled up the middle and advanced to third on a Caroline Seitz double down the left field line. Both players scored on a single up the middle by Toler and a Cowgirl error.

McNeese scored five runs on four hits in the top of the fourth to take an 8-2 lead. Taunton continued her hot hitting with a double to left center that scored Drew who reached base with a walk. A single by Piancastelli scored Taunton for the second run of the inning. The third run came from a single to left center by Yanitor. A two RBI triple by Vincent scored Yanitor and Catron.

Mississippi State scored two runs on four hits in the fifth to cut the McNeese lead in half. The Bulldogs started the inning off with back-to-back doubles by Bailey and Heimberger when Bailey scored on Heimberger’s double to cut the Cowgirl lead to 8-3. A one out single to short by Toler scored Heimberger that cut the Cowgirls’ lead in half (8-4). McNeese got out of the inning on a double play when Vincent struck out Morgan Bell and Piancastelli threw out Toler attempting to steal second to end the inning.

After a scoreless sixth inning, Vincent struck out Heimberger, got Winkfield to pop out to short before walking Seitz. The game ended when Toler grounded out to short for the final out of the game.