THIBODAUX, La. – In a game featuring two of the best pitchers the Southland Conference has to offer, it was one unfortunate pitch that proved to be the difference.
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's
Primrose Aholelei and Nicholls' Audrey McNeill were locked in a spectacular pitchers' duel Friday, matching each other pitch for pitch and zero for zero. But in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Colonels got two of the three hits they could muster against Aholelei, the second of which resulted in a two-run home run from catcher Riley Rutherford on the first pitch she saw and a 2-0 win at Swanner Field.
"Today was a tough one," TAMU-CC coach
Kathleen Rodriguez said. "You have to tip your hat to McNeill. She threw it well tonight."
McNeill (13-12) tossed her third shutout of the season, allowing just three hits and one walk while striking out eight. Aholelei (15-10) was equally as good, allowing just three hits of her own with no walks and four strikeouts on only 69 pitches. It was her 19th complete game of the year, giving her 45 for her career, which is the third most in school history.
Paolina Baez had the first hit of the game for Islanders (21-19 overall, 9-13 SLC) with a two-out infield single in the fourth. The Islanders didn't get another hit until the seventh, when they tried to stage a last-inning rally.
With two outs,
Monee Montilla doubled to right-center field, then moved to third when
Sidney Campion singled through the right side. But McNeill ended the rally with her eighth strikeout, bringing an end to a long, soggy day.
"We came around a little better at the end of the game making adjustments at the plate, but it wasn't enough," Rodriguez said. "We need to string them together a little better. That will definitely take some pressure off of our pitchers."
Originally slated for a doubleheader Friday, rain pushed the start of Game 1 back two-and-a-half hours and forced the doubleheader to be played Saturday. The wait didn't bother the two aces.
Aholelei retired the first 11 batters she faced and didn't allow her first hit until the bottom of the fourth inning. She allowed only six baserunners all game, including three in the fifth inning when she hit two batters and an error loaded the bases. She got a flyout on the next pitch to end the threat.
McNeill only allowed three baserunners through the first six innings and just five total. Her eight strikeouts were her second most in a game this season and just one behind her career high.
"Today was a good test for the remainder of the weekend and a look at what we will have to deal with next week," Rodriguez said.
The teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon today, then travel to Hammond, La., for the Southland Conference Tournament from May 7-10.
TAMUCC (21-19, 9-13 SLC)
Friday, May 3 – at Nicholls, L (2-0)
Friday, May 4 – at Nicholls (27-24, 14-8), noon, Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park, Thibodaux, La.
Saturday, May 4 – at Nicholls (27-24, 14-8), 2 p.m., Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park, Thibodaux, La.
On Deck: This is the final regular-season series of the year. The Islanders next will play in the Southland Conference Tournament beginning Tuesday, May 7 and lasting until Friday, May 10 in Hammond, La. TAMU-CC will face HCU in the opening game of the tournament at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7 in a single play-in game. If the Islanders win, they will move on to the double-elimination portion of the tournament and face the No. 3 seed at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The No. 3 seed currently is UIW.
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