This was no simple walk in the park for the Cowgirls.

Facing eighth-seeded East Texas A&M, top-seeded McNeese State was given all it could handle in the opening game of the postseason.

The Cowgirls survived thanks to a bases-loaded walk to Samantha Mundine in the bottom of the eighth that gave McNeese a 5-4 victory at Joe Miller Field.

“We could not get the timely hit,” said McNeese head coach James Landreneau. “We had traffic on the bases, but we needed that one swing and couldn’t get it.

“Tip your cap to their pitcher, she kept us off balance, and they played good defense behind her.”

ETAM starter Kate Houser worked 7⅓ innings, allowing just three runs on seven hits. She had to be pulled with one out in the eighth after injuring her back.

McNeese then jumped on reliever Maddie Muller, who allowed a hit and had seen the bases become loaded on a fielder’s choice. She then threw four straight balls to send Kassidy Chance home from third with the winning run.

“I don’t think we played badly, but they played really well,” said Landreneau. “We will have to play better moving forward.”

McNeese will take on No. 4 Incarnate Word (28-19) Friday at 6 p.m. UIW beat No. 5 Lamar 4-0 Thursday in the late game. Lamar (28-26) will play ETAM (10-41) in an elimination game at 3 p.m. in the Lake Charles bracket.

“We are going to have to cut down on our swings, use the middle of the field more, and drive in some runs,” said Landreneau. 

McNeese left 10 runs on base. Just two weeks earlier, the Cowgirls (38-18) swept the Lions, outscoring them 36-6. 

McNeese appeared to win it in the bottom of the seventh on Reese Reyna’s line single to left. Lion outfielder Maddie Cason came up throwing and appeared to get pinch-runner Adriana Mireles, who was trying to score from second, at the plate. 

However, home plate umpire Nikos Williams called Mireles safe, saying ETAM catcher Aaliyah Wilcox had blocked the runner’s path. After a brief replay review, the call was overturned.

Ryann Schexnayder worked the final 2⅓ innings for McNeese and didn’t allow a base runner for the win to improve to 7-1.

“She has been really clutch for us,” said Landreneau. “It was good to see her throwing with confidence.”

Jada Munoz had the big hit for McNeese, a three-run homer in the bottom of the third that gave the Cowgirls a 3-2 lead. It was her 15th of the season, tying her for the league lead.

The Cowgirls added a run in the fourth without a hit on Chance’s sacrifice fly to left. The Freshman of the Year finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

Mundine also had two hits.

The Lions scored their runs on a pair of two-run homers. Darby Hickey gave ETAM a 2-0 lead in the second with her second home run of the season.

In the sixth, Wilcox hit one two-thirds of the way up the scoreboard in left to tie the game at 4-4 and chase McNeese starter Kandence Williams. The freshman righty went 6⅔ innings, allowing four runs on five hits with three strikeouts. She did not walk a batter.

For Wilcox, the homer was her sixth of the season. 

The Cowgirls extended their SLC home winning streak to 43 games with the victory.

“We know tournament play is going to be tough,” said Landreneau. “We have to make adjustments and be ready.”