Stephen F. Austin
McNeese St
McNeese State Sweeps Doubleheader
3/25/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 25, 2005
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- The McNeese State Cowgirls (14-24,5-9) rallied from a five run deficit in game two to come-from-behind and take the nightcap from the SFA Ladyjacks (9-18, 3-11) 6-5 to complete a sweep of a Southland Conference doubleheader Friday evening. The three game series concludes Saturday with a single game beginning at noon.
McNeese State won game one Friday afternoon 7-2 behind the strong pitching of Jessica Denham. Denham (5-13) went the distance, working seven innings scattering four hits to the Ladyjacks while striking out seven. The Ladyjacks pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, only one run was earned.
Kristina Swart walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a ground out by Nicole Carter. She then went to third on a wild pitch and came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Jessica Tullos. The second run scored with Kristen Gabourie pinch hit for Sidney Rutherford and singled through the right side. Rutherford came back in to run and stole second. She went to third when the throw from the McNeese catcher went into center field and eventually scored when the center fielder's throw was mishandled at third.
Nicole Carter was tagged with the loss in game one, working 5.2 innings and allowing six runs on six hits while striking out eight. All six runs were earned. She gave up a pair of home runs to McNeese State's Brooke Brodhead.
Game two saw the Ladyjacks find their stroke early and jkump out to a three-run lead in the bottom of the second inning and eventually build the lead to 5-0 after three innings.
In the bottom of the second inning, Ragen Rutherford walked with one out follwoed by a single off the bat of Kristina Swart. The runners moved up on a wild pitch before Carter hit a roller up the middle which McNeese State threw home to tag out Rutherford trying to score from third. Jessica Tullos then delivered a three-run shot to left field to give SFA the 3-0 lead.
The Ladyjacks added a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run homer by Tara Hersey to make it 5-0.
McNeese State chipped away with a pair of runs in the fourth, a single run in the sixth and took the lead with a three run top of the seventh inning to win the nightcap, 6-5.
Carter took the loss in game two after working two innings of relief for starter Julie Morse. Morse worked five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Carter came on in the sixth inning and gave up three runs on three hits to take the loss.
