The Cowgirls got an up-close look at the No. 1 team in the nation and the Oklahoma Sooners didn’t disappoint.

Winning their 58th consecutive game, the three-time defending national champs improved to 6-0 this season with a solid 8-1 victory Friday night over McNeese State.

The loss was the second straight at home for the Cowgirls against Top 25 opponents, as they fell to No. 22 Baylor a day earlier. The loss dropped McNeese to 4-3 with all the losses coming against Power 5 foes.

“They are a really good team,” said McNeese head coach James Landreneau. “We competed until the end, we just didn’t get it done.”

The two teams will meet again Saturday at 6:30 p.m. McNeese (4-3) will also play Central Arkansas at 4 p.m. on the second day of the Cowgirl Challenge. Another sellout crowd is expected.

“It was a great crowd, great energy,” said Landreneau. “We appreciate the community coming out and supporting us.”

Corine Poncho continued her power surge to start the season despite the competition.

The sophomore became the first runner to score off Oklahoma’s Kelly Maxwell (3-0) this season when she drove herself home in the bottom of the first.

Poncho took a 3-2 pitch with two outs and lined a shot into the bleachers in left-center. The laser was Poncho’s fifth home run of the season and just the second hit off the lefty Maxwell in her third appearance. Poncho had just three homers all season as a freshman as her latest landed into the section of the bleachers called Pokes in the Oaks.
“She did a good job putting a swing on it and putting us ahead,” Landreneau said.

Poncho finished with a pair of hits as McNeese managed just four on the night.

Her homer gave McNeese its only lead of the game, and it didn’t last too long either.

In the Top of the second, Rylie Boone’s two-out, two-run single to center gave the Sooners the lead for good.

Oklahoma added three in the third on two hits, an error, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly.

Lindsay Davis took the loss; her record evened at 1-1. Davis worked two innings, allowing three hits and the first two Sooner runs.

Alyssa Brito put the final touches on the win with a two-run homer in the sixth off freshman Brilee Ford. It was Brito’s fourth home run of the season and closed the game’s scoring.

“There’s a lot of stuff to learn from the game,” said Landreneau. “We have to have a sense of urgency on defense.”