Cowgirls extend win streak to four, bottom of lineup supplies offense
Published 2:30 pm Thursday, April 8, 2021
Warren Arceneaux
McNeese State got production from the bottom of its batting order and a strong pitching performance Wednesday in a 7-1 nonconference win over Louisiana Tech.
Five of the Cowgirls’ seven runs were driven in by batters hitting sixth or lower in the order.
The Cowgirls (18-19), who extended their winning streak to four with their eighth victory in nine games, opened the scoring in the bottom of the second inning on a solo home run to left field by Rosepine’s Haylee Brinlee, her fifth of the season.
Tech (13-16) evened the score in the fourth. K.D. Bailey singled to center, moved to third on a double down the left-field line by Brooke Diaz and scored on a Tristan Court squeeze bunt.
McNeese answered with a four-run fourth. Tayler Strother singled with two outs to score Toni Perrin and Brinlee. After a Jil Poullard walk, Cori McCrary singled to score Strother and Poullard.
Padyn Williams added a two-run single in the sixth inning.
“If we can put stress on the opponent one through nine, hopefully you can wear them down, and I think that’s what we did tonight,” McNeese head coach James Landreneau said.
“Haylee got us started with the home run, Strother had a big two-out knock and Williams came off the bench to get a big hit. She’s been having good at-bats in practice.”
Cowgirls starter Saleen Flores (5-6) allowed a run and three hits in four innings pitched.
Tech got two on with no outs in the sixth on a Briley single and hit batsman, but Cowgirls reliever Ashley Vallejo struck out the next three batters to end the inning.
Vallejo struck out six and allowed one hit in three scoreless innings of relief.
“She faced 11 batters and struck six of them out, that’s power pitching at its best,” Landreneau said.
Perrin and Strother combined for four hits, three steals and three runs scored to lead the McNeese offense.
McNeese resumes Southland Conference play with a three-game series at Southeastern Louisiana in Hammond beginning Friday. The Cowgirls are fifth place in the conference with an 8-4 record which includes six consecutive Southland wins.
Southeastern (21-13, 10-2) is tied for second in the Southland.
McNeese State’s Haylee Brinlee hits a solo home run to left field against Louisiana Tech during a nonconference game Wednesday at Cowgirl Diamond. It was the fifth home run of the season for the sophomore from Rosepine.
