HOUSTON — McNeese Softball closed play in the Houston Classic on Saturday afternoon, losing a 5-3 decision to Texas State, followed by an 11-0 loss to No. 1-ranked Oklahoma
“If we are a team that is going to play at the end of the year, these are the teams we have to play,” said the head coach Jacques Landreneau earlier in the week. “We have to mentally prepare our players to run and play clean softball. You can’t have an inning where you take a break, you can’t have an at-bat where you give up a pitch, you have to capitalize on every opportunity.”
Game 1 vs. Texas State:
McNeese and former Southland Conference opponent Texas State (3-2) spent the first three innings trading hits and putting runners on base, but neither team managed to score a run .
A solo house run by Toni Perrin in the top of the fourth inning opened the game to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead. The Bobcats rallied with five runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-1 lead while capitalizing on a few errors from Cowgirl.
McNeese threatened with two points at the start of the sixth on a Crislyn Moreno single in the middle to mark Perrin and Adriana Ramirez and drew the Cowgirls within 5-3. After a scoreless half inning for Texas State, McNeese put the tying run on base with one out, but a Bobcats double play ended the threat and Texas State escaped with the victory.
Cowgirl starting pitcher Whitney Tate (1-2) suffered his second loss of the season after giving up all five runs, including four earned, on five hits in 4.1 innings. relievers Shaelyn Sander and Ashley Vallejo combined to throw 1.2 scoreless innings, putting the Cowgirls back in the game.
Texas State’s Karsen Pierce (2-1) took the victory in relief after pitching the final 3.1 innings with two runs and a hit.
Game 2 vs. No. 1 Oklahoma:
Oklahoma (8-0) opened the ball game hard and fast with four runs on four hits in the first inning.
Perrin was the only Cowgirl to reach base walking and stealing second in the top of the second inning, but a fly ball cut the inning short before she could advance any further.
The Sooners hit four homers in the game while starting pitcher Hope Trautwein, a transfer from North Texas who was the 2021 United States Conference pitcher of the year, threw a no-hitter in the game. of five innings.
Vallejo suffered the loss to drop their record to 3-2 this season.
McNeese will be back home to host The Evangeline Bank and Trust Invitational II from February 24-27. The Cowgirls will open the tournament against Sam Houston on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.
