Cowgirls sweep last-place Islanders

Piancastelli climbs career charts

McNeese State’s Erika Piancastelli dives into third base with a triple against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday at Cowgirl Diamond. Piancastelli became the Cowgirls’ career leader in hits (231) and SLC RBIs (193) leader.

Kirk Meche / Special to the American Press

{{tncms-inline content=”<div class="float" style="text-align: center;"> <div class="Lead"> <p>McNeese 10, Texas A&M-CC 2, 5 innings</p> </div> </div>” id=”7cd08ae7-b547-4088-8690-4d911243c171″ style-type=”quote” title=”Pull Quote” type=”relcontent”}}

Prolific Mc-Neese State hitter Erika Piancastelli further etched her name into the history books with a game-ending RBI single that sealed a five-inning, 10-2 victory Saturday to complete a three-game sweep of Texas A&M- Corpus Christi.

With the hit she broke the school record for career hits (231) and the Southland Conference record for career RBIs (193).

“I don’t really know when I break records like that until someone says it out loud,” Piancastelli said. “It’s always nice being surrounded by my team during those moments. To be honest, I was just trying to poke the ball through, and I literally poked it through.”

The Cowgirls (27-13, 10-5) were forced to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning after the Islanders (9-28, 1-14) scored two runs to cut McNeese’s lead to 9-2 and delay the mercy run rule.

McNeese head coach James Landreneau said that turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it allowed Piancastelli to break the records in front of a home crowd.

Prior to the game-winner, Justyce McClain led off the inning with a single that ended with her on third base after a pair of throwing errors.

Piancastelli pooched one into left field that scored Mc-Clain and closed the game out.

“I really appreciate our fans coming out and supporting us, especially in these weather conditions,” Landreneau said. “It’s special that Erika gets to break that record in front of a home crowd. A lot of times that happens on the road, so it’s nice to get it done.”

The Cowgirls took control with a seven-run first inning. McNeese may have gotten an assist from the wet weather conditions as AMCC pitchers Ashley Smith (2-16, 4.49 ERA) and Alexis Tovar struggled to keep the ball dry and find the strike zone.

Piancastelli opened the scoring with an RBI triple off the right-field wall that scored McClain. After a wild pitch scored Piancastelli and a bases-loaded walk to Aubree Turbeville scored Brenique Wright, Taylor Strother opened flood gates with a two-run double that gave the Cowgirls a 5-0 lead.

“It was just a strike,” Strother said. “I was just trying to keep it simple and see ball, hit ball. It was a good feeling. I was just trying to work up the middle and make an adjustment.”

Piancastelli and Morgan Catron both walked with the bases loaded to force in two more runs before the Islanders recorded the third out.

That made things easy for McNeese pitcher Caroline Settle (7-6, 4.08 ERA) who went all five innings, giving up two runs on five hits.

“I was just trying to keep the ball dry and trying to keep my hand dry to spin the ball,” Settle said. “It makes my job easy, especially when you have hitters like these guys.”

The Cowgirls will head to Waco, Texas, for a pair of midweek games against Baylor before returning home for a vital conference series against Nicholls State. The Baylor games will be available on regional television.

After sweeping the lastplace Islanders, McNeese sits a game back of the Colonels and Northwestern State for first place in the league standings.

“I’m just excited to see our team really play as a unit and to see the energy they put out in the last two games especially,” Landreneau said. “I like where our team is at and the direction we’re headed.”

The Islanders have lost four straight and all but one of their last 18 games.

 
 

McNeese 10, Texas A&M-CC 2, 5 innings

SportsPlus

Local News

WEATHER UPDATE: Severe storms possible overnight

Local News

Town hall meetings, candidate forums, debates planned ahead of March election

Crime

2/18: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Republicans consider cuts and work requirements for Medicaid, jeopardizing care for millions

McNeese Sports

Rain washes away Cowboys’ trip

Local News

Temple: Changes to La. insurance industry won’t be felt overnight

Local News

Dispute over Gulf name may be headed to court

McNeese Sports

Cowboys rally for big win

Crime

Hitman will continue to serve life sentence in Fourth of July murder

Local News

Delta Airlines flight flips over on landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and 8 people are hurt

Local News

School Board looks to make up lost time due to snow days

Local News

Jennings councilman wants to change rules for hiring, firing attorney

life

Preserving history for future generations: Exhibit examinins role Black churches play in communities

Local News

Trump administration tries to bring back fired nuclear weapons workers in DOGE reversal

Crime

2/17: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

life

Vote now for the People’s Choice Mardi Gras of SW La.

Local News

Trump begins firings of FAA air traffic control staff just weeks after fatal DC plane crash

McNeese Sports

Showdown in Hammond

McNeese Sports

Diamond roundup: Cowboys fall, Cowgirls win

Local News

US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing

Local News

Several Louisiana public university athletic programs — including McNeese — face financial deficits

Local News

Getting back on par: The long and short of the National Golf Club of Louisiana

Local News

NASA sending DeRidder students’ experiment into stratosphere

Local News

Shady Lane man found unresponsive has died