LAKE CHARLES, La. – Freshman outfielder
Nicole Shedd hit her third home run of the season, but HBU softball was swept in a doubleheader by McNeese State, 9-1 in six innings and 10-0 in five, Friday afternoon from Cowgirl Diamond.
HBU drew first blood in game one as Shedd hit a two-out solo homer in the top of the first, but McNeese State would answer with three runs in the bottom half to take a 3-1 lead.
Pitcher Emily Vincent helped her cause as her RBI single in the bottom of the second gave the Cowgirls a 4-1 lead. McNeese State would break the game open with two-run third and fourth innings to lead, 8-1.
Kay Schroeder threw out Lakeyn Fontenot trying to score to end the bottom of the third.
Taylor Schmidt's RBI single in the bottom of the sixth put the run-rule in effect, 8-1.
Shedd,
Shay Orsak, and
Melissa Herman each had a hit for HBU.
Shannon O'Connor suffered the loss in the circle, as she allowed nine hits, eight runs, and four walks with one strikeout in 3.1 innings.
Emily Mueller gave up four hits and one run in 2.0 innings, as she whiffed one.
Lauren Langner and Vincent, the 1-2 batters in the lineup for McNeese State, did the biggest damage, as they each went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Vincent had a pair of runs scored while Langner had one. Schmidt went 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Vincent went the distance in the circle, as she allowed three hits, one run, and two walks with five strikeouts.
In game two, McNeese State scored twice in the bottom of the first with a two-run single by Schmidt. The Cowgirls threatened for more with the bases loaded and two outs, but
Laci Belovsky struck out Shanice Hagler to end the inning.
After the Huskies retired McNeese State in order in the bottom of the third, HBU threatened in the top of the fourth, as
Libby Brown hit a two-out double, then advanced to second on a single by
Madison Vonhagel. But the Cowgirls got a fly out to center to end the inning unscathed.
In the bottom half of the inning, the Cowgirls scored two more to increase their lead to 4-0 following RBI singles by Langner and Erika Piancastelli.
McNeese State put the run-rule in effect with a six-run bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a three-run triple Vincent, who then crossed home on a Huskies' error.
Vonhagel went 2-for-2 to lead HBU, while
Michaela Granchelli and Brown had a hit apiece. Belovsky took the loss in the circle in the complete-game effort, as she allowed eight hits, seven earned runs, and five walks with four strikeouts.
Langner had another multi-hit game to lead McNeese State, as she went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Schmidt also went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run. Vincent's lone hit of the day was the killer, as she led all players with four RBIs. Jamie Allred allowed four hits in the complete-game win while striking out two.
HBU (6-18 overall, 0-8 SLC) and McNeese State (21-9, 8-0 SLC) will conclude the three-game series Saturday at noon. The area is calling for rain over the weekend, so stay tuned to HBUHuskies.com for any schedule changes.
