MONROE, La. – Junior Melanie Coyne had a strong outing and tossed a complete game, but the Warhawks fell in their season opener Thursday night 4-0 versus McNeese at ULM Softball Complex.
“McNeese is a good team,” head coach Corey Lyon said. “When you make mistakes against good teams, they capitalize on it. I thought (Coyne) pitched a very good game today. They scored four runs on an error and a bloop to left field. We made a couple of mistakes that came at bad times, and they scored on them.”
Coyne scattered eight hits in the appearance and allowed just three earned runs while striking out four. ULM's offense only mustered one hit, an Amye Barre single in the bottom of the second inning, against McNeese State pitcher Jamie Allred. Allred threw a complete game shutout and struck out nine.
“We took too many pitches early in the count and got behind,” Lyon said. “(Allred) did a good job of mixing it up and dictating the at-bats. I look for us to come back and be better tomorrow.”
McNeese scored an unearned run in the third after an attempted throw down from catcher Sam Agamaite was muffed into the outfield. The Cowgirls then scored three more in the top of the fifth, two on a Justyce McClain single and the other from an Emily Vincent RBI groundout which scored Erika Piancastelli.
The Warhawks return to action in the Mardi Gras Classic tomorrow at ULM Softball Complex with a 1 p.m. matchup versus Prairie View A&M and a 3 p.m. duel against Grambling.
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