Gwinn Hall saved her first for last.

The little-used freshman came up with the biggest hit in the Cowgirls’ biggest game Sunday.

Hall blasted a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh to send McNeese to the Southland Conference’s championship series.

Hall’s first career home run lifted the Cowgirls to a 3-1 victory over Incarnate Word at Joe Miller Field. The shot was McNeese’s third straight walk-off win in the Lake Charles bracket. 

“Yeah, I knew it was gone right away,” said Hall. “I wasn’t looking to hit a home run, I just wanted to get a hit and keep the game going.”

With fellow freshman Sarah Allen on first, Hall ripped an 0-2 pitch from UIW ace Larissa Jacquez well over the fence in right-center. 

“That pop has been showing up for her,” McNeese head coach James Landreneau said. “Gwinn got her moment and made the most of it, and we all benefited.”

The win moves McNeese (40-18), the top seed in the tournament, into the best-of-3 championship series against No. 2-seeded Southeastern starting Thursday night in Lake Charles. During the regular season, the Cowgirls took two of three from the Lady Lions (46-13) in Hammond. 

“We are going to be tested. Southeastern is a very good team,” said Landreneau. “We are going to have to be better.”

The winning rally started by the usual big-game suspect, shortstop Reese Reyna. Her leadoff double in the seventh came after a 12-pitch fight with Jacquez (9-9). 

It was Reese’s fourth double of this postseason.

“That was big for me to see,” said Hall. “Every pitch she got, I was getting too. By the end, I felt I had been in the entire game.”

Reese was bunted to third by Rylie Bouvier and then squeezed home thanks to Allen, who ended up on first with just the one out when UIW (29-21) first baseman Victoria Altamirano tried to get Reese out at the plate.

“Reese Reyna had an unbelievable at-bat to start that inning,” said Landreneau. 

Hall, who had a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the seventh on Saturday to start that winning rally against UIW and send the Cardinals into the elimination bracket. She had grounded out in the fifth as a pinch hitter but stayed in the game.

“We liked the swing she put on the ball and decided to leave her in,” said Landreneau. “I’m glad we did.”

Freshman right-hander Kandence Williams went the distance on the mound, giving up just one run on three hits while striking out two. She did allow three walks, all to Altamirano, the league’s Player of the Year, and by design.

“Pitching around her was the best option,” said Williams. “You want to attack all the other hitters if you do that.” 

Williams improved to 11-7 with the win. 

“Kandence Williams was amazing today,” said Landreneau. “This was a grind.”

The Cardinals, who had to win twice on Sunday to advance, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Kennedy Hill’s sacrifice fly to shallow left. Prasias Quintero, who led off the inning with a double, scored as Cowgirl Samantha Mundine was forced to dive to make the catch. 

“I’m proud of the way we competed and found a way to win,” said Landreneau. The victory was McNeese’s sixth straight and 17th in its last 18 games. The Cowgirls have won 40 straight at home against Southland foes.

The Cowgirls will be looking to make their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last five seasons when they take on the Lions for the title.