Reyna gets final swing at Southland 

 

As she rounded the bases, her feet seemed to barely touch the ground. 

It was a Saturday afternoon two years ago, and with each step, the fans at Joe Miller Field grew louder and louder. 

Then-sophomore McNeese Cowgirls shortstop, Reese Reyna, ran toward her teammates who were circling home plate. As her right foot landed in the middle of the plate, the day’s drama ended and a wild celebration ensued. 

That was the last time the Cowgirls hosted a postseason game. Reyna had won the game and the tournament, sending McNeese back to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight time.

“I do remember that, but there were a lot of other plays and players that did big things which led up to that moment,” Reyna said. “But it was fun.”

Reyna’s two-out blast over the fence in left in the bottom of the eighth was just the second hit on the day for McNeese, which won 1-0 over rival Southeastern. 

Two years later, Reyna and the Cowgirls are back home, hosting one of the two four-team pods that will determine which teams advance to the title series. They will open play Thursday against eighth-seeded East Texas A&M at 3 pm.

“It’s exciting to be back playing a tournament at home,” said Reyna. “We love playing in front of our fans. They always support us.”

Reyna is getting one final chance at making an NCAA Regional after the Cowgirls won their fourth straight regular-season title last weekend. She is the only player in Southland Conference history to have accomplished that.

“I have been blessed to be here for four years,” Reyna said. “It has been great to be a part of this program and this community.”

Now in her final games at McNeese, Reyna is wiser than she was two years ago, and she’s become a leader of the team. She still plays the same way, though.

“She has matured, and that has been fun to watch,” said McNeese head coach James Landreneau. “To see how she has grown not just in softball, but in life, has been very rewarding.”

As a freshman, the 5-foot-3 infielder from Santa Fe, Texas, played in 57 games, starting 53. She followed that up by starting all 61 games and hitting .309, earning a spot on the SLC’s all-conference second team.

Reyna was named the MVP of the postseason tournament as well, hitting two homers, including the one that clinched the title.

Last year, however, she struggled after getting off to a slow start. Reyna finished with a career-low .252 average while starting all 51 games. 

“I looked at my numbers early and was like, gosh, I should be more productive,” said Reyna. “I started to press and felt like I wasn’t helping the team.”

Her coach, however, stayed with his shortstop.

“No one has ever questioned Reese’s effort,” said Landreneau. “She came here to play ball. I feel like last year she was trying too hard.

“She wasn’t herself.”

That’s changed.

“I care more about the results of the team,” said Reyna. “I’m not worried about my numbers.”

Reyna will take a .308 average into the postseason with career highs in home runs (5) and runs batted in (29). 

And when she takes the field Thursday, she will be alone in fifth place at McNeese for most games played with 233, nine off the record. That alone shows her value and consistency.

“Since Reese first showed up on campus, we have been able to count on her to work hard, play the game the right way, and do little things that help us win,” said Landreneau. 

Don’t be surprised if Reyna doesn’t have another memorable moment for the Cowgirls’ postseason.