Cowgirls Celebrate 2016 Southland Tournament Title
Southland Conference
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LAKE CHARLES, La. – McNeese swept through the Southland Conference Softball Tournament to win its first tournament title since 2010 with a 5-2 win over No. 3 seed Lamar. The Cowgirls claim the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and will await its postseason fate Sunday, May 15 at 9 p.m. on ESPNU.
Lamar (35-22, 18-9 Southland) reached home first after an error by McNeese sophomore second baseman Haley Drew allowed Lamar freshman second baseman Kelly Meeuwsen to score.
Sophomore catcher, player and hitter of the year Erika Piancastelli hit a big single in the third to bring in Cowgirls freshman outfielder Justyce McClain and sophomore first baseman Shanice Hagler. The following play, junior outfielder Marisa Taunton scored an unearned run on a Cardinals error. Taunton would make it home again in the fifth for a three-run Cowgirl lead.
In the sixth, the Cowgirls would score their final run with a single RBI off the bat of Piancastelli. Lamar would load the bases later that inning, only to score a single run and leave two on base.
McNeese (42-12, 23-4 Southland) allowed only two runs and two hits in the game behind senior pitcher Emily Vincent, who tossed for all seven innings, improving to 16-3 on the year. Lamar starting pitcher Laura Napoli took the loss, falling to 9-8 on the year. Napoli tossed for six innings before senior right-hander Lauren Dannelley came into the game in relief.
Lamar led all teams with five members selected to the all-tournament team. McNeese followed with four, headlined by tournament most valuable player Piancastelli, who accounted for four hits and three RBIs in the championship game. Also earning all-tournament for the Cowgirls is sophomore designated player Morgan Catron, junior outfielder Tori Yanitor, and Vincent. Lamar had all-tournament selections in sophomore outfielder Brittany Rodriguez, senior outfielder Jenna Holland, junior pitcher Ciara Luna, and Meeuwsen alongside her sister senior shortstop Stephanie Meeuwsen. Stephen F. Austin also had three members with sophomore catcher Taylor Fraccastoro, sophomore outfielder Annie Mehringer, and sophomore pitcher Callee Guffey.