NATCHITOCHES – McNeese pieced together offense in the early innings Friday to build a lead it didn't relinquish as Northwestern State lost the series opener, 5-3.
The Cowgirls (23-11, 6-4 Southland Conference), who were ranked as high as No. 23 in nonconference play, scored five runs through the first three innings for a 5-0 edge.
After McNeese scored on an infield Alexandra Saldivar single in the first inning, the Cowgirls exploded for four runs in the third inning.
"We've got to come out more aggressive (Saturday). We came out timid and weren't aggressive early in the game," said NSU coach Donald Pickett. "McNeese took full advantage of that, and that's what good teams do.
"We made some mistakes on defense that were kind of routine plays, and we put a lot of base runners on."
Senior pitcher Micaela Bouvier (10-4) held McNeese, the top statistical offense in the conference, to five hits. But all five hits came in innings in which McNeese scored.
In the fourth inning, catcher Emma Hawthorne erased a Justyce McClain single by throwing her out at second base.
But McNesse's Erika Piancastelli, the three-time SLC Hitter of the Year, hit a solo home run – her 11th of the season.
Morgan Catron singled and Hailey Drew walked before Brenique Wright hit a three-run home run with two outs for the 5-0 advantage.
Bouvier (six strikeouts) mostly skirted her four walks and five hit-by-pitches, stranding seven Cowgirls on the night.
"Bouvier did a pretty good job of holding them down – we knew McNeese would score some runs," Pickett said. "We are going to have to put together a better approach offensively. We can't hit that many pop ups and expect to win games.
"We were up there trying to do everything ourselves instead of playing team offense. We were pressing, and we have to take it one at-bat and one pitch at a time. We have to get better from it and learn from it."
After stranding a runner at third base in the second inning, NSU's offense begin to come alive in the fifth inning as the Lady Demons scored three runs.
Sophomore outfielder Madelyn Matt drove in two runs with a two-out triple to slice McNeese's edge to 5-2.
Freshman second baseman Cayla Jones kept it rolling with a single in which she scored Matt (2-for-4) to trail just 5-3.
NSU took advantage of McNeese mistakes as Hawthorne reached on an error and Toni Hebert was hit by a pitch to start the inning.
But the Lady Demons couldn't get a runner in scoring position in the final two innings as McNeese held on for the win.
McNeese starter Alexsandra Flores (11-4) plunked two batter with no walks, but her defense made two errors behind her.
Flores held NSU to five hits as the Lady Demons stranded five runners, three in scoring position and two on third base.
The loss is NSU's first at home this season after starting 15-0.
The Lady Demons will attempt to keep from losing their first SLC series with Saturday's doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Kids are invited to take part in an Easter Egg Scramble on the field after the games.
