BREAKING: McNeese Cowgirls are Southland champions
Published 4:22 pm Saturday, May 13, 2023
(LeRoy Tademy / Special to the American Press)
(LeRoy Tademy / Special to the American Press)
(LeRoy Tademy / Special to the American Press)
(LeRoy Tademy / Special to the American Press)
(LeRoy Tademy / Special to the American Press)
(LeRoy Tademy / Special to the American Press)
Reese Reyna launched a home run to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning to give McNeese a 1-0 win over Southeastern Louisiana in the championship game of the Southland Conference Tournament at Cowgirl Diamond.
The win gives McNeese its third straight tournament championship and automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. Pairings for the tournament will be announced at 6 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2.
The Cowgirls will enter the tournament on a 10-game winning streak. Southeastern Louisiana will hope to receive an at-large bid. The Lions entered Saturday 52nd in the RPI rankings. 64 teams make the tournament.
Reyna’s two-out blast removed any doubt for the Cowgirls and ruined an excellent performance by Southeastern starter K.K. Ladner, who had allowed only one hit to that point.
“We couldn’t ask for a better game from a fan’s standpoint or for the conference,” McNeese head coach James Landreneau said. “Ladner was unbelievable today. She competed well, she was a warrior. It was a regional atmosphere, we want to thank the fan bases for both schools. You couldn’t ask for anything better.”
Ashley Vallejo earned the win in relief of Whitney Tate. Vallejo left one runner stranded at second base after relieving Tate in the seventh inning, then left two on in the top of the eighth.
Reyna was named tournament MVP. In three games, she was 5-for-10 with three runs scored and three runs batted in.
“It’s great to be named MVP but we couldn’t have done it without our pitchers throwing a shutout,” Reyna said. “I got the big hit, but our whole lineup wore their pitcher down over the course of the game. Our defense was incredible.”
Vallejo, Tate, Alayis Seneca and Mariana Torres were also named to the all tournament team.
