April 30, 2006

LAKE CHARLES-- McNeese State's softball team concluded its regular season here Sunday by splitting a doubleheader with Nicholls State. Senior pitcher Jessica Denham won her final home game with a 6-2 victory in the opening game. The victory was Denham's 54th career win as she went the distance, giving up five hits and struck out five. The victory was Denham's fourth consecutive win and eight out of her last nine starts as she improved to 13-15 overall.

McNeese struck early with four runs in the first on two hits. Brooke Brodhead reached on a Nicholls State error before scoring on a Jenny Clay RBI double. A double by Michelle LaVoie scored Jana Jones who reached base on a fielder's choice. Clay scored on a bases loaded walk by Rachel Phillips and LaVoie scored when Courtney Parks was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

McNeese added another run in the second inning on a solo homerun by Clay to give the Cowgirls a 5-0 lead.

Nicholls State got on the scoreboard in the fourth on a RBI single by Jacqueline Pacheco that scored Leah Peterson who led the inning off with a walk. Nicholls scored again in the sixth on a Clayton walk that scored Peterson again to put the score at 5-2.

Jones' RBI double in the bottom of the inning scored Christina Allen who reached base on the second Nicholls State error of the game to give McNeese a 6-2 lead.

Clay led the Cowgirls with a 2 for 4 plate appearance and scored two runs with two runs batted in. McNeese collected six hits in the game and left seven baserunners stranded.

In the nightcap, McNeese held a 3-0 lead after four innings, but with the final SLC Tournament spot on the line, Nicholls came back to win the game 4-3 and more importantly clinched the sixth spot in the SLC Tournament later this week.

McNeese's runs came on a RBI single by LaVoie that scored Brodhead who led the inning off with a single. McNeese added two more runs in the fifth on one hit. Callie Schiro scored on a RBI fielder's choice by Brodhead and Shayla Cormier scored on a sacrifice fly by Clay.

Nicholls scored two runs on two hits in the sixth on a two RBI single by Brandi Hahn. One inning later, Amy Thibodeaux hit a solo homerun over the centerfield wall to tie the game at three all. A run by Kodi Butler on a ground out by Peterson was the eventual game winning run.

Nicholls State reliever Ally May got Jones to fly out, Clay popped up to the catcher and LaVoie grounded out to short for the final out of the game.

Schiro led the Cowgirls with two hits in three at bats and scored one run. Freshman Rachel Hodlik took the loss as she fell to 6-11 on the season.

McNeese (21-28, 13-13 SLC) will enter the Southland Conference Tournament as the fourth seed and will face the third seed at 4 p.m. this Friday in Natchitoches.