CELINA, Texas---Jil Poullard's first home run of the season proved to be the game winning hit in a McNeese softball 4-2 win over No. 22 North Texas here Sunday on the final day of the Tracy Beard College Classic. McNeese ends the tournament with a 3-1 record with its only loss, a 4-0 loss to No. 15 Kentucky on Friday.
 
With the game tied at two apiece and pinch runner Brooke Otto on first base following a Rylie Bouvier single, Poullard sent an 0-1, two out pitch over the center field fence for her first home run of the season to put the Cowgirls up 4-2.
 
North Texas (7-1) took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Lexi Cobb drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a single and a fly out to center before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Kailey Gamble.
 
McNeese's speed helped the Cowgirls take a 2-1 lead in the second inning when the Cowgirls strung three hits in a row with two outs. Poullard, Reese Reyna and Erin Ardoin all picked up singles before Poullard and Reyna scored off two Eagle errors.
 
The Eagles responded in the bottom of the second inning to tie the game at two apiece by taking advantage of a Cowgirl error.  Christensen reached on an error and scored on a double by Jodie Epperson.
 
McNeese threatened to retake the lead in the fifth inning when Ardoin and Alayis Seneca singled with one out.  Ardoin was thrown out at third on a fielder's choice by Chloe Gomez before Mariana Torres went down looking to end the threat.
 
North Texas put the go ahead runner in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth when Cierra Simon was hit by a pitch with two outs. Simon stole second but Cowgirl pitcher Ashley Vallejo caught Cobb looking for the third out.
 
After Poullard's home run in the top of the sixth, North Texas put the tying runs on in the bottom of the inning with one out singles by Saleen Donohoe and Kailey Gamble.  Vallejo got Rylee Nicholson to pop out to second for the second out then got Mikaela Olguin to ground out to third to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, North Texas' Epperson drew a leadoff walk but Vallejo got the next three batters to fly out to end the game.
 
For the second straight game, the Cowgirls collected 10 hits with Chloe Gomez, Jil Poullard, Reese Reyna, and Erin Ardoin all picking up two hits apiece.
 
Vallejo (1-2) picked up her first win of the season, going the distance and allowing four hits, one earned run with three strikeouts and three walks
 
McNeese (7-2) will return home to host No. 12 Washington (9-1) at 11 a.m. Monday and South Alabama (5-4) at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
 
The Huskies are coming off a 5-0 record at the Houston Classic while South Alabama is coming off its own Mardi Gras Classic title after posting a 4-1 record.
 
SCORING
B1- North Texas took advantage of a leadoff walk to score on a sacrifice fly. (NT 1, MCN 0)
T2- McNeese took a 2-1 lead with two outs via two North Texas errors that allowed Jil Poullard and Reese Reyna to score. (McN 2, NT 1)
B2- North Texas ties the game on a double to centerfield by Jodie Epperson (McN 2, NT 2)
T6- Jil Poullard gives McNeese a 4-2 lead with a two out, two RBI homerun (McN 4, NT 2)
 
 
NOTES
• McNeese ends the Tracy Beard College Classic with a 3-1 record
• The only Cowgirl loss of the tournament was a 4-0 loss to #15 Kentucky on Friday
• Jil Poullard 's first home run of the season gave McNeese a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning
• Ashley Vallejo picked up her first win of the season with the complete game win
• For the second straight game, McNeese collected 10 hits
• Chloe Gomez, Jil Poullard, Reese Reyna, and Erin Ardoin all had two hits api