University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Fourth-Inning Explosion Catapults McNeese to Rout of Prairie View
2/4/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
LAFAYETTE – McNeese State pounded out 15 runs on 14 hits in the fourth inning en route to a 19-5 victory over Prairie View A&M here Friday morning in the opening game of the 2nd Annual Louisiana's Mardi Gras Classic at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park.
The Cowgirls (1-0) outburst made a winner of new head coach Chris Malveaux in his first career game as a collegiate coach.
McNeese got solid production from its first two hitters Nicole Edlund and Courtney Parks who combined to go 6-for-8 with six runs scored and four RBI. The 5-6-7 hitters gave the Cowgirls a boost from the bottom of its lineup - Meghan Novak, Rachael Phillips and Lindsay Davis were a combined 7-for-12 with six RBI and four runs scored.
Novak had five strong innings in the circle for the Cowgirls allowing no earned runs and six hits (four hits after a two-out error in the fifth inning). Novak struck out five and kept PVAMU offf the board as MSU built its lead.
McNeese was ahead 4-0 going into the bottom of the fourth inning. The Cowgirls got three straight singles to load the bases before a Nicole Edlund single through the left side of the infield ignited a 12-run outburst before a single out was even recorded.
The Cowgirls chased PVAMU starter Kelli Duerson who surrendered 14 runs off of 15 hits. Amanda Kemp came in relief and served up a three-run home run to pinch hitter Jenny Clay that gave MSU a 16-0 lead with still no outs recorded.
The Panthers finally got an out on the next at bat when Nicole Edlund struck out swinging - Edlund was the Cowgirls' 13th batter of the inning.
McNeese struck in its first at bat. Nicole Edlund cracked a leadoff double into left center field. Two batters later, Beth Jordan laced a line drive past PVAMU first baseman Christina Reyes that allowed Edlund to race around third base for the game's first run. Jordan wound up on third base after PVAMU right fielder Belinda Ruiz took a stab and the ball but missed allowing it to roll to the outfield fence. Jordan later scored when Duerson was called for an illegal pitch.
MSU added two more in the third inning on a triple by Parks and a RBI groundout by Jordan.
McNeese improved to 1-0 in tournament play while Prairie View drops to 0-1.
The Cowgirls will be back in action at 1:30 p.m. as they take on Southland Conference rival Northwestern State.
Prairie View completes its first day at the Mardi Gras Classic in a 3:45 p.m. tilt with Sam Houston State.
McNeese State 19, Prairie
View A&M 5 (Feb 04, 2005 at Lafayette, La.)
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Prairie View A&M.... 000 0 5 - 5 6
4 (0-1)
McNeese State....... 202 (15)X - 19 20 1
(1-0)
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Pitchers: Prairie View A&M - Duerson; Kemp(4). McNeese State
- Novak.
Win-Novak(1-0) Loss-Duerson(0-1) T-1:51
A-0
HR PVAM - Fuller.
HR MCN - Novak; Clay.
Duerson faced 10 batters in the 4th.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
