April 27, 2008

Box Score

THIBODAUX, La. - McNeese State picked up a crucial Southland Confernce doubleheader victory over Nicholls State here Sunday, 3-1 and 4-2 at the Colonel Softball Complex to improve to 21-33 overall and more importantly 14-12 in the SLC. The wins move the Cowgirls into fifth place in the league standings heading into the final regular season. The Cowgirls will conclude its regular season this weekend with a three game home SLC series against regular season champion Texas State. The top eight teams will make up the Southland Conference Tournament May 8-10 in San Marcos, Tx.

The Colonels (25-27, 12-14) started the scoring off in the first game with one run on a RBI single to right field by sophomore Audrey Wood that scored junior Kodi Butler from third to take the early 1-0 lead. The Cowgirls (21-33, 14-12) bounced back in the second to tie the game one all on a RBI single to right center by Megan Beard. Beard's Holly Long who doubled to lead off the inning scored the tying run.

The score remained 1-1 until the top of the fifth when McNeese State took the lead on a Tiffany Ritchie two RBI single up the middle to take a 3-1 lead that would hold for the win. The single brought home Whitney Corbello and Molly Guidry before Ritchie was thrown out at second base trying to extend her single.

Bethany Stefinsky picked up the victory, allowing five hits, one run and 11 strikeouts to improve to 7-10 on the year. In the second game, McNeese State opened up with a one-run first inning as Jenny Clay hit into the fielder's choice that scored Lindsey Langner for the early 1-0 lead.

The Cowgirls added two more runs to increase its lead to 3-0. The first of two runs came courtesy of a fielder's choice by Long that scored Langner, while the second score was credited to Beard who hit a RBI single to rightfield that scored Liz Morvant.

McNeese State added another run in the top of the fourth to take the 4-0 lead. The run came in on a RBI single by Corbello that scored Guidry. Nicholls scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore Nicole Smith hit a RBI double to the leftfield wall to score sophomore Karla Troxler from second. Thibodeaux led off the inning with a double to left center, and was replaced on the base path by Troxler.

The Colonels added one in the bottom of the fifth when Danielle Clayton hit a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield that scored Harrell from third. Harrell led off the inning with a triple to right centerfield. With the bases loaded and one out, Stefinsky shut the door on the Colonels and picked up her eighth victory of the season in four innings of work.