LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Lamar University softball program feel in the contests on Saturday afternoon at rival McNeese. The losses drop the Cardinals to 4-30 overall and 0-12 in conference.
GAME 1 – McNeese 8, Lamar 0 (5 Inn.)
Game one came out to be a back-and-forth affair up until the bottom of the third when McNeese tallied the first runs of the games. They took a 1-0 lead on a double to left center that brought home McCrary for the Cowgirls. McNeese continued to score and went up another run on a single by Perrin to bring home Gomez.
The Cowgirls kept the scores coming in as they tacked on three more runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 6-0 over the Big Red. Lamar looked to get something going in the top of the fifth, but the Cards left a runner on as McNeese tracked down the fly ball, needing just two runs to capture the win. A single in the bottom of the frame, McNeese was able to bring in the eighth run to capture the 8-0 in five innings.
GAME 2 – McNeese 2, Lamar 1
After a pair of one-two-three situations by both pitchers, Lamar got the first base runner on in the second before leaving them on. The bottom of the second proved to be the same as the beginning as the Cowgirls left one stranded before the final out came as a ground out to third.
The third innings was fairly quick as the McNeese starter forced another three up three down scenario on the Cards before the Cowgirl offense left one on base and ending the inning lining out to shortstop. The Cardinals broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth on a home run to left field by sophomore
Nicolette Ramirez. The home run was the first of her career as a Cardinal. The bottom of the inning proved to be a similar fashion for the Cowgirls as they left another on base and popped up to second.
The top of the fifth was dealt with by the McNeese pitcher as she shut down in order the Big Red lineup. The Cowgirls responded in the fifth tying the game up at one a piece on a double by Poullard that brought home Seneca. McCrary was the next batter up and she made the sacrifice fly to bring home the leading run.
The Cards went down one-two-three in the sixth and then turned the side around on the Cowgirls and forced them into the same situation with just a one-point lead going into the seventh. The Cardinals got a runner in scoring position, but the McNeese pitching staff called in their closer to get the last out of the inning to end the game.
