LAKE CHARLES—McNeese softball fought its way back from a 3-0 first inning deficit Tuesday night to defeat No. 15 LSU 4-3 in front of a new Cowgirl Diamond record crowd of 1,488 fans.  With the win, McNeese improves to 33-12 overall and extends its winning streak to seven games while LSU falls to 34-11 on the season. 
 
The win is the first win over LSU since 2014, snapping a 13-game losing streak against the Tigers.  The win is also the first home win over LSU since 2009 and it's the first win over the Tigers under head coach James Landreneau.
 
LSU took advantage of a slow start by Cowgirl pitcher Ashley Vallejo in the first inning when all nine Tigers went to the plate and scored all three of their runs on four hits.
 
Vallejo settled down and allowed only four more hits through the next six innings while the Cowgirls' offense broke through for three runs in the third inning to tie the game at three apiece.
 
Brooke Otto led the bottom of the third off with a walk then Emily Phillips hit her second home run this season that brought the Cowgirls to within one run on a two run home run over the left field wall to cut the lead to 3-2.  A two out throwing error by LSU's first baseman allowed Alayis Seneca to come home that tied the game at three apiece.
 
McNeese missed a golden opportunity to take the lead in the fifth when the Cowgirls loaded the bases with no outs on singles by Phillips and Seneca and a walk by Erin Ardoin.  LSU reliever Sydney Berzon got a ground out that got the runner out at home plate for the first out, struck out Mariana Torres then got Crislyne Moreno to pop out to first base for the third out to end the threat.
 
Like Berzon, Vallejo came up big in the top of the seventh inning when LSU was in their heart of their lineup.  Vallejo got the Tigers to go down in order when she got Ciara Briggs to ground out to second, Ali Newland flew out to left and got the Tigers' home run leader this season, Georgia Clark who came into the game with 10 home runs and ranks fourth in LSU history with 40 career home runs to fly out to centerfield to end the game.    
 
Vallejo improves to 13-7 overall with the complete game victory.  She allowed three runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
 
Berzon falls to 12-5 on the year in the loss after relieving starter Ali Kilponen in the fifth inning.  Kilponen allowed three runs on four hits, a walk and two strikeouts in 4.0 innings. 
Berzon allowed one hit, one run, one walk and struck out two in 2.0 innings of work.
 
McNeese will host Texas-Arlington at 6 p.m. Wednesday in its only other game this week.
 
McNEESE NOTES
•- It's the first win over LSU since April 9, 2014 snapping a 13-game losing streak
•- It's the first home win over LSU since April 22, 2009
•- It's the first win over LSU under head coach James Landreneau
•- It's the third Cowgirl win over a ranked team this season: (#12 Washington, #15 LSU, #22 North Texas)
•- Set a new Cowgirl Diamond attendance record of 1,488, breaking the old record of 1,288
•- Nine of the Top 10 Cowgirl Diamond Records are games played against LSU
•- Emily Phillips hit her second home run of the season, a two-run homer in the third inning
•- Phillips led the Cowgirls at the plate, going 2 for 3 including her home run, two RBI and scored a run
•- Ashley Vallejo improved to 13-7 overall with the complete game win
•- Vallejo has won her last six games and nine of her last 11 games