McNeese Softball picks up a 9-1 win over HBU Thursday

Staff Reports

The Contraband

McNeese softball scored at least one run in five of the six innings played to pick up its sixth run-rule victory in seven Southland Conference games here Friday. The Cowgirls defeated Houston Baptist 9-1 in six innings to improve to 20-6 overall and 7-0 in league play. The series will conclude with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Friday.

“I like that we scored in five of the six inning today,” said head coach Joanna Hardin. “We continue to do a really good job of scoring with two outs and extending innings,” said Hardin.

The Cowgirls pounded out 12 hits with three being extra base hits including Hailey Drew’s second home run of the season.

Tori Yanitor led the Cowgirl hitting attack with a 3 for 3 plate appearance. Drew and Morgan Catron both had two hits apiece.

“Yanitor and Goree had a really good day for us and (Shelbi) Strickland made clutch defensive stops at third base to get us out of a few jams. Those three definitely stood out today in how we played and attacked the game.”

Emily Vincent improved to 7-2 on the season with a three-hit complete game. Vincent gave up one earned run, one walk and struck out five.

“Emily executed pitches when she needed to and gutted through the fourth inning. She’s a competitor. We know she’s going to give us a chance to win when she throws with a good mindset and focus,” Hardin said.

McNeese scored first with the help of a HBU error in the second inning. After a leadoff single by Taylor Goree and Yanitor being hit by a pitch, both players executed a double steal. Goree came home on a fielding error by HBU’s shortstop for a 1-0 Cowgirl lead.

McNeese added three runs in the third including Drew two run home run to take a 4-0 lead. The home run is Drew’s second of the season.

Drew picked up an RBI single in the fourth inning and a sacrifice fly by Goree extended the Cowgirl lead to 6-0.

HBU scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning and had a chance to do more damage but Vincent shut the door on the Huskies.

After Vincent hit the leadoff batter and gave up a walk, Shay Orak singled to load the bases. Vincent then hit Cecilia Bauer to bring in the HBU run. A single by Laci Belovsky loaded the bases again for HBU but Vincent struck out Nicole Shedd and got Catilin Gunn to pop up to Goree to end the threat.

McNeese got the run back in the fifth on a RBI double by Marisa Taunton for a 7-1 Cowgirl lead. Shanice Hagler scored after reaching base on a fielder’s choice.

The Cowgirls added two more runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Vincent and Yanitor to take a 9-1 lead.

Vincent got HBU players on back-to-back fly outs and a ground out for the third out to end the game.

“We need to keep playing Cowgirl softball- focused, competitive, and energetic. We haven’t played our best softball yet, so our challenge is to keep getting better every game.”