Lourdes Bacon bunt in 2023 softball scrimmage
Dezmond Jackson
6
Winner MCNEESE MCN 14-8
0
ULM ULM 15-9
Winner
MCNEESE MCN
14-8
6
Final
0
ULM ULM
15-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
MCNEESE MCN 0 0 4 1 1 0 0 6 8 1
ULM ULM 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 2

W: Tate (6-1) L: Abrams, Victoria (2-3)

Game Recap: Softball |

ULM Softball Shutout in Series Opener Against McNeese, 6-0

MONROE, La. – McNeese right-hander Whitney Tate scattered five hits en route to a complete game shutout win over ULM, 6-0, in the opening game of a three-game series on Friday, March 10. The Cowgirls' defense also turned four double plays behind her.
 
It marked McNeese's eighth consecutive win in the series against the Warhawks, including its fourth straight at the ULM Softball Complex.
 
ULM (15-9) squandered a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the first. Lourdes Bacon opened the frame by reaching on a fielding error by the first baseman and Kennedy Johnson followed with a double down the right-field line that sent Bacon to third. However, Bacon was thrown out at home on a groundout to shortstop by Madelyn Fletcher, and Ashlan Ard lined into a double play at first base to end the inning.
 
Tate got all the run support she needed in the top of the third. Jada Munoz reached on a fielding error by the third baseman to lead off the inning, then stole second. Chloe Gomez followed with an infield single to third and stole second base. Reese Reyna became the third consecutive Cowgirl to reach base, delivering an RBI single to right field that scored Munoz from third and Gomez scored from second on a fielding error by the right fielder. Reyna stole second and scored two batters later on Corine Poncho's RBI single to right field as McNeese jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Adrianna Chavarria replaced Victoria Abrams in the circle for the Warhawks and hit Kaylee Lopez on a 1-1 pitch. After a sacrifice bunt placed runners at second and third, Alayis Seneca picked up an RBI with an infield single to first base, with the slow roller allowing Poncho to score from third. The Cowgirls sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs, two earned, on four hits and two errors.
 
McNeese (14-8) added to its lead in the fourth. With two outs, Rena reached after being hit by a pitch and scored from first on Rylie Bouvier's RBI double into left-center field.
 
With a runner at second and two away in the fifth, the Cowgirls extended their lead to 6-0 on an RBI double into left-center field by Mariana Torres that scored Rylee Eyester from second base.
 
"It was a rough night for us as a team," ULM head coach Molly Fichtner said. "We had some hard hits that turned into momentum changers (double plays) for them. McNeese capitalized on some defensive miscues, combined with walks and stolen bases to produce runs."
 
Tate, who threw 84 pitches over seven innings while improving to 6-1 on the season, issued one walk and recorded three strikeouts.
 
Abrams (2-3), who took the loss, went 2 1/3 innings and allowed four runs, only two earned, with no walks and two strikeouts.
 
Maddie Nichols pitched the final three innings and permitted one run on one hit with three walks and a strikeout.
 
McNeese outhit the Warhawks, 8-5, with Bouvier (2-for-4) and Seneca (2-for-4) each collecting two hits for the Cowgirls. Bacon (2-for-3) and Johnson (2-for-3) accounted for four of ULM's five hits, with the rest of the lineup going 1-for-16. The Warhawks went 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position while being shutout for the fourth time this season.
 
"Maddie Nichols did a good job coming in the game and pitching the final three innings," Fichtner said. "Both Lou and KJ had a pair of hits at the top of the lineup, but we need to sustain more offense in tomorrow's doubleheader.
 
"We're going to turn the page, regroup and refocus before going into tomorrow's doubleheader."
 
The three-game series concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 11, with starting times of 12 and 2 p.m.
 
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