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Buy Photos HereHOUSTON – The HBU softball team was limited to three hits in dropping a 9-1 six-inning decision to McNeese State in the series opener on Thursday afternoon at Husky Field.
Freshman second baseman
Demi Janak led the Huskies (10-13, 2-5 SLC) at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a double, hit by pitch and run scored. Senior third baseman
Shay Orsak finished 1-for-3 against the Cowgirls (20-6, 7-0 SLC) with a bunt single in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Senior righthander
Laci Belovsky (6-7) took the loss in the circle, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits in going the distance, opposite of McNeese's senior southpaw Emily Vincent (6-5), who picked up the win in a complete-game effort, issuing five strikeouts.
After a scoreless opening frame from both teams, the Cowgirls scored one run or more over their next five trips to the plate. McNeese took advantage of an infield error with two outs and two runners in scoring position to plate the first run of the game in the top of the second inning, before tacking on three runs in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and two more in the sixth, to close the game early and improve to 7-0 in Southland Conference play.
HBU's biggest threat of the game came in the fourth inning. Down 6-0, Janak opened the bottom frame with a hit by pitch, before sophomore first baseman/shortstop
Libby Brown walked and Orsak singled. With the bases loaded, junior right fielder
Cecilia Bauer plated Janak with a hit by pitch, but a fielder's choice, strikeout and fly out squandered the attempted rally.
The Huskies and Cowgirls will close the series with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. on Good Friday.
