Northwestern State pitcher Katelyn Boles was one strike away from completing a no-hitter and securing an upset series win against McNeese State in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader at Cowgirl Diamond.
Instead, McNeese pinch-hitter Megan Holmes doubled to score Tori Yanitor — who reached on an error — before Carleigh Chaumont drove in pinch-runner Lauren Brown to tie the score and force extra innings.
That set up a three-run, walk-off homer by pitcher Rachel Smith to earn the Cowgirls a 5-2 comeback 5-2 win and the series victory.
“I was just looking to drive the runner in, and all we needed was one run,” Smith said. “I just found the ball and hit it out of the park. … I have home run tendencies, and I’ve been so close this year, but I haven’t hit one out like that.”
Smith (9-5) entered the game in the fifth inning to relieve Baylee Corbello, who pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up a pair of runs on six hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
In her relief role, Smith retired all 10 batters she faced, striking out four Demons (14-22-1, 4-8 Southland Conference) in the process.
“I wanted that ball,” she said. “I wanted to play in that last game (of the series). I got my opportunity go in, and it feels great to come out with a win. My goal going in was to get the momentum back on our side. It had been on Northwestern’s side all day, I wanted to bring the momentum back to us.”
The Cowgirls (25-12, 11-1) struggled hitting the ball all day against the Demons pitching staff.
NSU sophomore pitcher Mikayla Brown (8-9) dominated the Cowgirls in the day’s first game, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning and pitching a complete-game two-hit shutout in which she struck out five.
It was the Cowgirls’ first SLC loss and the fifth time they were shut out.
“We knew that Brown was going to be good,” said McNeese head coach James Landreneau. “I’ve been telling everybody that Brown’s a good pitcher. She gave us fits. We hit a ton of fly balls. We’re really going to have to evaluate where we’re at and make some adjustments.”
Landreneau added that the shutout was a bit of an eye-opener, saying batters didn’t adjust to Brown properly.
Still, he viewed the loss as a positive experience moving forward.
“It’s frustrating because I don’t think we made the adjustments we should be making right now,” Landreneau said. “The good thing about it is I think we needed this. That loss right there is really going to open our eyes and prepare us for the rest of the road to the postseason.”
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