2023 McNeese Cowgirls softball team

The 2023 McNeese Cowgirls softball team represented McNeese State University during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cowgirls played their home games at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond and were led by seventh-year head coach James Landreneau. They are members of the Southland Conference. McNeese had a regular season record of 41–14 and a conference record of 21–3 winning the Southland Conference regular season championship. They also won the 2023 Southland Conference softball tournament as the first seeded team.

The Cowgirls won the SLC autobid to the 2023 NCAA Division I softball tournament. They were runner-up to the Seattle Regional championship compiling a tournament record of 3–2. Leading the regional championship game 6–0 through the sixth inning, the Cowgirls' season ended ultimately losing to the tournament hosts, # 7 ranked Washington Huskies 7-6. The Cowgirls' final overall record was 47–16.

Preseason

Southland Conference Coaches Poll The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on January 26, 2023. McNeese was picked to finish first in the Southland Conference with 128 votes and 16 first place votes.

Coaches poll 1 McNeese 128 (16) 2 Southeastern Louisiana 113 (2) 3 Northwestern State 91 4 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 85 5 Houston Christian 58 6 Lamar 49 7 Texas A&M–Commerce 47 8 Incarnate Word 45 9 Nicholls 32

Preseason All-Southland team McNeese had six players named to the Southland Conference preseason first team and one player was named to the preseason second team.

First Team Crislyne Moreno (MCNS, SO, 1st Base) Caleigh Cross (MCNS, SR, 2nd Base) Jil Poullard (MCNS, JR, 3rd Base) Maddie Watson (SELA, SO, Shortstop) Bailey Krolczyk (SELA, JR, Catcher) Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, SR, Utility) Audrey Greely (SELA, JR, Designated Player) Laney Roos (NSU, JR, Outfielder) Alayis Seneca (MCNS, SR, Outfielder) Cam Goodman (SELA, JR, Outfielder) Ashley Vallejo (MCNS, JR, Pitcher) Bronte Rhoden (NSU, SR, Pitcher)

Second Team Sydney Hoyt (TAMUCC, JR, 1st Base) Madison Rayner (SELA, SR, 2nd Base) Haylie Savage (HCU, SO, 3rd Base) Ryleigh Mata (UIW, SO, Shortstop) Tristin Court (NSU, JR, Catcher) Melise Gossen (NICH, SR, Utility) Chloe Gomez (MCNS, JR, Designated Player) Alexa Poche (NICH, JR, Outfielder) Makenzie Chaffin (NSU, JR, Outfielder) Bailie Ragsdale (NSU, SO, Outfielder) Lyndie Swanson (HCU, JR, Pitcher) Siarah Galvan (TAMUCC, SO, Pitcher)

Roster

Schedule and results Legend McNeese win McNeese loss Postponement/CancellationBoldMcNeese team member * Non-Conference game † Make-Up Game

{| class="toccolours" width=95% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;" |- ! colspan=2 style="" | 2023 McNeese Cowgirls softball game log |- ! colspan=2 style="" | Regular season (47–16) |- valign="top" | February (10–5) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Cowgirl Classic IFeb. 10 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 7–2 Tate (1-0) McMurray (0-1) 1–0 Feb. 10 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 6–1 Sanders (1-0) Gonzales (0-1) 689 2–0 Feb. 11 Texas Southern* Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 8–0(5 inn) Davis (1-0) Gendorf (0-0) 3–0 Feb. 11 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 1–2 Johnson (0-0) Vallejo (0-1) Beaver (0) 639 3–1 Feb. 12 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 4–2 Tate (0-0) Cespedes (0-0) Vallejo (0) 584 4–1 Tracy Beard College ClassicFeb. 17 vs. * 15 Old Celina Park • Celina, TX 0–4 Schoonover (2-0) Vallejo (0-2) 4–2 Feb. 18 vs. * Old Celina Park • Celina, TX 4–1 Sanders (2-0) Edwards (0-2) Davis (1) 5–2 Feb. 18 vs. * Old Celina Park • Celina, TX 8–0(5 inn) Tate (3-0) Waiters (1-1) 6–2 Feb. 19 vs. * 22 Old Celina Park • Celina, TX 4–2 Vallejo (1-2) Peters (3-2) 7–2 Feb. 20 * 12 Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 4–2 Tate (4-0) Lynch (0-1) 707 8–2 Feb. 21 South Alabama* Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 0–3 Lackie (1-2) Vallejo (1-3) 621 8–3 Cowgirl Classic IIFeb. 24 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 4–3 Davis (2-0) Gainous (1-2) 757 9–3 Feb. 25 Stephen F. Austin* Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 5–4 Vallejo (2-3) Gainous (1-3) 10–3 Feb. 25 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 2–8 Furbush (4-1) Vallejo (2-4) Kliethermes (1) 945 10–4 Feb. 26 Ole Miss* Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 2–7 Kliethermes (3-2) Davis (2-1) 807 10–5

March (15–5) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC recordMar. 1 at * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 8–0(5 inn) Vallejo (3-4) Richard (2-2) 11–5 Longhorn InvitationalMar. 3 vs. * Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX 1–0 Vallejo (4-4) Laudenslager (1-2) 12–5 Mar. 3 vs. Louisiana* Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX 1–7 Landry (5-4) Tate (4-1) 12–6 Mar. 4 vs. * Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX 8–0 Tate (5-1) Manus (7-5) 13–6 Mar. 4 at Texas* 9 Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX 0–4 LHN 1,673 13–7 Mar. 8 at Louisiana* Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA 2–6 Riassetto (1-1) Vallejo (4-6) 1,522 13–8 Mar. 10 at * Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA 6–0 Tate (6-1) Abrams (2-3) 750 14–8 Mar. 11 at Louisiana–Monroe* Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA 1–8 Hulett, Gianni (7-1) Vallejo (4-7) 14–9 Mar. 11 at Louisiana–Monroe* Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA 2–1 Tate (7-1) Hulett (7-2) Davis (2) 568 15–9 Mar. 15 * Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 9–1(5 inn) Davis (3-1) Boyd (0-3) 683 16–9 Mar. 17 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 9–0(5 inn) Tate (8-1) Garcia (3-5) ESPN+ 78 17–9 1–0Mar. 17 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 5–1 Vallejo (5-7) Gunther (4-3) ESPN+ 167 18–9 2–0Mar. 18 at Incarnate Word H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 10–0 Tate (9-1) Floyd (1-5) ESPN+ 142 19–9 3–0Mar. 21 at LSU* 10 Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA 2–6 Chaffin (3-1) Tate (9-2) SECN+ 1,802 19–10 Mar. 24 Texas A&M–Commerce Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 9–0(5 inn) Tate (10-2) Sanchez (3-7) 708 20–10 4–0Mar. 25 Texas A&M–Commerce Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 8–0(5 inn) Vallejo (6-7) Meadors (0-5) ESPN+ 21–10 5–0Mar. 25 Texas A&M–Commerce Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 1–0 Sanders (3-0) Arredondo (2-9) ESPN+ 787 22–10 6–0Mar. 29 at * Bearkat Softball Complex • Huntsville, TX 2–0 Tate (11-2) Guindon (4-5) 485 23–10 Mar. 31 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX 7–4 Vallejo (7-7) Mitchell (4-10) Tate (1) ESPN+ 410 23–10 7–0Mar. 31 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX 4–2 Sanders (4-0) Ruiz (4-8) Davis, Lindsay (3) ESPN+ 394 24–10 8–0

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="margin:auto; width:100%; text-align:center; font-size:95%" ! colspan=12 style="padding-left:4em;" | April (13–4) |- ! Date ! Opponent ! Rank ! Site/stadium ! Score ! Win ! Loss ! Save ! TV ! Attendance ! Overall record ! SLC record |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 1 || at Lamar || || Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX || 12–0(5 inn) || Tate (12-2) || Niedenthal (2-5) || || ESPN+ || 455 || 26–10 || 9–0 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ffdddd |Apr. 4 || Louisiana* || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 0–7 || Landry, S (9-4) || Tate (12-3) || || ESPN+ || 837 || 26–11 || |- align="center" bgcolor=#ffdddd |Apr. 7 || Northwestern State || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 6–7 || Darr (10-5) || Davis (3-2) || || || || 26–12 || 9–1 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 7 || Northwestern State || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 4–0 || Vallejo (8-7) || Seely (4-5) || || ESPN+ || 687 || 27–12 || 10–1 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 8 || Northwestern State || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 2–0 || Vallejo (9-7) || Darr (10-6) || Davis (4) || ESPN+ || 707 || 28–12 || 11–1 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 11 || at Houston* || || Cougar Softball Stadium • Houston, TX || 4–2(10 inn) || Vallejo (10-7) || Wilkey (13-8) || || ESPN+ || 376 || 29–12 || |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 14 || Nicholls || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 6–0 || Vallejo (11-7) || McNeill (9-8) || || ESPN+ || || 30–12 || 12–1 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 15 || Nicholls || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 8–0(6 inn) || Tate (13-3) || Yoo (10-7) || || ESPN+ || 807 || 31–12 || 13–1 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 15 || Nicholls || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 5–4 || Vallejo (12-7) || Yoo (10-8) || || ESPN+ || 787 || 32–12 || 14–1 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 18 || LSU* || 15 || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 4–3 || Vallejo'' (13-7) || Berzon (12-5) || || ESPN+ || 1,488 || 33–12 || |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 19 || UT Arlington* || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 6–2 || Sanders (5-0) || Bumpurs (6-8) || || ESPN+ || 697 || 34–12 || |- align="center" bgcolor=#ffdddd |Apr. 25 || at Southeastern || || North Oak Park • Hammond, LA || 1–4 || Blanchard (15-6) || Vallejo (13-8) || || ESPN+ || 262 || 34–13 || 14–2 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ffdddd |Apr. 25 || at Southeastern || || North Oak Park • Hammond, LA || 3–4 || Ladner, KK (14-1) || Tate (13-4) || || ESPN+ || 262 || 34–14 || 14–3 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 26 || at Southeastern || || North Oak Park • Hammond, LA || 2–1 || Vallejo (14-8) || Comeaux (8-4) || Sanders (1) || ESPN+ || 263 || 35–14 || 15–3 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 28 || Texas A&M–Corpus Christi || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 4–3 || Sanders (6-0) || Aholelei (16-11) || || ESPN+ || 827 || 36–14 || 16–3 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 28 || Texas A&M–Corpus Christi || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 7–2 || Vallejo (15-8) || Hoyt (2-5) || || ESPN+ || || 37–14 || 17–3 |- align="center" bgcolor=#ddffdd |Apr. 29 || Texas A&M–Corpus Christi || || Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA || 5–2 || Tate (14-4) || Aholelei (16-12) || || ESPN+ || 802 || 38–14 || 18–3

May (3–0) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC recordMay. 5 at Houston Christian Husky Field • Houston, TX 4–0 Vallejo (16-8) Janes (6-12) ESPN+ 225 39–14 19–3May. 5 at Houston Christian Husky Field • Houston, TX 5–0 Tate (15-4) Swanson (9-9) ESPN+ 225 40–14 20–3May. 6 at Houston Christian Husky Field • Houston, TX 1–0 Sanders (7-0) Grofman (5-5) ESPN+ 225 41–14 21–3 |- ! colspan=2 style="" | Post-Season (6–2)

(3–0) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament recordMay 10 vs. (5) Texas A&M–Corpus Christi (1) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 2–1 Tate (16-4) Aholelei (16-4) ESPN+ 42–14 1–0May 11 vs. (2) Southeastern Louisiana (1) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 6–2 Vallejo (17-8) Blanchard (17-7) ESPN+ 43–14 2–0May 13 vs. (2) Southeastern Louisiana (1) Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 1–0 (8) Vallejo (18-8) Ladner (15-2) ESPN+ 607 44–14 3–0