McNeese State Edges Texas State for Southland Softball Tournament Title
SAN MARCOS, Texas - McNeese
State beat Texas State 3-2 in the championship game of the 2010 Southland
Conference Softball Tournament Saturday at Bobcat Field earning the league's automatic
selection to the NCAA tournament.
The
win gives McNeese its first title since 2005 and third overall tying
Northwestern State for the second-most tournament championships in the
Southland.
McNeese
freshman pitcher Meagan Bond was named tournament MVP after recording two
shutout wins with 13 strikeouts and a 0.91 ERA in 15.1 innings pitched. Bond is
the second McNeese player named tournament MVP following former Cowgirl Jessica
Denham in 2005.
Sophomore
Claire Terracina was 9-of-13 in four games for a .692 average setting the
Southland tournament record. Terracina led McNeese in hits (9) and total bases
(10).
McNeese
State recorded two shutout wins over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (6-0) and
Texas State (1-0) and allowed a tournament low 3 runs through four games.
Texas
State got things going early in the bottom of the first with three doubles in
its first four batters. Senior Kristina Tello led off with a two-bagger to
right center field and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior Lyndsey
Matt. Up next, freshman Haley Lemons gave the Bobcats their first run of the
game with a shot to center field scoring Tello. Junior McKenzie Baack followed
with her second double of the tournament scoring Lemons to give Texas State an
early 2-0 lead.
McNeese
State senior Liz Morvant singled to lead off the top of the fourth inning followed
by junior Molly Guidry who hit a two-run bomb to left center tying the game 2-2.
The
Cowgirls took the lead in the top of the fifth when sophomore Claire Terracina
beat out an infield single and stole second moving into scoring position. Morvant
followed with an infield single and Terracina scored on a throwing error by
Texas State third baseman Jenna Emery giving McNeese a 3-2 lead.
Four
teams were represented on the all-tournament team as Stephen F. Austin senior
Kendal Harper and UT Arlington freshman Teri Lyles each received recognition
for their efforts in leading their respective teams to the semifinals. Texas
State landed four selections - McKenzie Baack, Chandler Hall, Jenna Emery and
Anna Hernandez. McNeese State had five selections including MVP Meagan Bond,
Claire Terracina, Molly Guidry, Marissa Koetting and Heather Mosser.
McNeese
State's next opponent will be announced on the NCAA Softball Selection Show on Sunday,
May 16 on ESPNU.
All-Tournament Team
Kendal
Harper, Stephen F. Austin
Teri
Lyles, UT Arlington
McKenzie
Baack, Texas State
Jenna
Emery, Texas State
Chandler
Hall, Texas State
Anna
Hernandez, Texas State
Molly
Guidry, McNeese State
Marissa
Koetting, McNeese State
Heather
Mosser, McNeese State
Claire
Terracina, McNeese State
Meagan
Bond, McNeese State (MVP)
POSTGAME QUOTES
McNeese State Head Coach - Natalie Poole
(On today's win)"Today's game was stressful. I definitely
didn't think we came out with a good start, so I was concerned with what was
going to happen. I'm just really pleased with the way it turned out."
(On Kayla
Shepherd as the winning pitcher)"I'm proud of Kayla for throwing a shutout,
but I'm not surprised about her ability to do it. She has overcome an injury
and done really well. I'm proud of her for that. I knew that if we had to rely
on her we could. She already threw one good game in this tournament."
(On being
conference champion)"It feels awesome to be the Southland champion.
We came this close last year. Of course, Texas State has a very respectable
program and we definitely didn't think it was going to be easy. We knew it was going to be tough."
(On
preparing for NCAA Regionals)"To prepare for Regionals, we are going to
get some scouting reports on the people we're going to play and our hope is to
go out and play tough and represent this conference the way that it needs to
be."
McNeese State junior pitcher -
Kayla Shepherd
(On today's win)
"I knew after we
won the first game, Texas State was going to come out strong; a lot stronger
than earlier, and they were going to be mad, so we had to come out strong. When
Megan Bond started they were aggressive so I had to go in and come out strong
and keep it away from them and keep them guessing."
"I had faith in
my team. I knew they were going to come back and save us."
"It feels great to be a Southland Conference
champion. I'm ready to go on. I look forward to Regionals."
Texas State Head Coach - Ricci Woodard
(On today's loss)
"I thought we played a great ballgame. I have
no complaints about how we played the entire tournament. I thought McNeese
State played a great ballgame, and we played a great ballgame. No complaints."