McNeese softball defeated Stephen F. Austin 9-4 in the opening game of their Southland Conference series at Joe Miller Field, according to an April 17 announcement from the university. The teams will conclude the series with a doubleheader scheduled for noon on Saturday, which was moved up from its original time due to expected rain in the Lake Area.
The result matters for both teams as they compete for standings within the conference. McNeese improved its record to 29-18 overall and 13-9 in conference play, while Stephen F. Austin dropped to 26-22 overall and 10-12 in the Southland Conference.
After Stephen F. Austin tied the game at two runs each in the third inning, McNeese responded by scoring three runs in the fourth inning to regain a lead it would not relinquish. The Cowgirls added two more runs each in both the fifth and sixth innings, while SFA managed single runs during those frames.
Kassidy Chance and Maddie Weeks led McNeese offensively with three hits apiece; Taylor drove in three runs and Chance had two RBI. Pitcher Maddie Taylor earned her tenth win of the season with a complete game performance, allowing four runs on six hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
For Stephen F. Austin, Lilly Bean collected two hits out of six total for her team, while Amelia Hatthorn took her sixth loss after pitching a complete game and allowing nine runs on thirteen hits.
Following Saturday’s doubleheader, McNeese State University plans to honor its senior players from the class of 2026 during a postgame ceremony.
