McNeese Softball drops two of three games in Hammond vs. Southeastern

Lake Charles, LA (KPLC) - McNeese softball entered the national rankings for the first time of the 2023 season on Monday as they came in at number 25 in the nation, but immediately after getting national recognition for the impressive 2023 season they were putting together, the Cowgirls would be tested by a tough Southeastern Lady Lions team with a doubleheader in Hammond, Louisiana.

In game one of the doubleheader, McNeese was forced to play from behind early as Southeastern’s Bailey Krolczyk got the Lady Lions on the board first with a single up the middle that brought in both Maria Detillier, and Cam Goodman, and then later in the inning, Krolczyk came in to score as Ka’Lyn Watson was hit by a pitch.

McNeese would get one back the next inning as Rylie Bouvier singled up the middle bringing in Alayis Seneca, but despite Ashley Vallejo’s complete game in the circle, McNeese couldn’t do enough to get the win as they dropped game one 4-1.

In game two McNeese was once again forced to play from behind as Maddie Watson got the Lady Lions on the board first with a home run to left field in the second inning, but a Brooke Otto bunt single in the fourth brought in Chloe Gomez to tie the game up at one a piece, and then later in the inning, Erin Ardoin brought Bouvier home to give the Cowgirls their first lead of the day, but it, unfortunately, wouldn’t last.

Southeastern brought three home in the fifth and sixth thanks to a Detillier RBI in the sixth, and a Ka’Lyn Watson two-run home run in the seventh, and with it, McNeese fell yet again, 4-3 the final score as Southeastern took both games of the doubleheader.

On Tuesday afternoon the Cowgirls looked to put the doubleheader behind them as they took on the Lady Lions once again, and early on game three was already different than the previous two as Crislyne Moreno put McNeese on the board first with a two-run home run to left field in the third, and that was all McNeese would need to get the game three win.

Southeastern scored just one with a Lexi Johnson home run in the sixth, as McNeese would go onto win, 2-1.

McNeese returns home for their final home series of the year when they will begin a three-game series against Texas A&M - Corpus Christi on Friday.