# 2022 McNeese State Cowgirls softball team

The 2022 McNeese State Cowgirls softball team represented McNeese State University during the 2022 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cowgirls played their home games at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond and were led by sixth-year head coach James Landreneau. They were members of the Southland Conference.

## Preseason
### Southland Conference Coaches Poll

The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 4, 2022. McNeese State was picked to finish first in the Southland Conference with 132 votes and 12 first place votes.
Coaches poll :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | McNeese State | 132 (12) |
| 2 | Northwestern State | 120 (2) |
| 3 | Southeastern Louisiana | 113 |
| 4 | Houston Baptist | 102 |
| 5 | Incarnate Word | 84 |
| 6 | Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | 82 |
| 7 | Nicholls | 81 |

### Preseason All-Southland team
#### First Team

* Caitlyn Brockway (HBU, JR, 1st Base)
* Cayla Jones (NSU, SR, 2nd Base)
* Lindsey Rizzo (SELA, SR, 3rd Base)
* Ashleigh Sgambelluri (TAMUCC, JR, Shortstop)
* Chloe Gomez (MCNS, SO, Catcher)
* Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, JR, Designated Player)
* Jil Poullard (MCNS, SO, Outfielder)
* Audrey Greely (SELA, SO, Outfielder)
* Aeriyl Mass (SELA, SR, Outfielder)
* Pal Egan (TAMUCC, JR, Outfielder)
* Lyndie Swanson (HBU, R-FR, Pitcher)
* Whitney Tate (MCNS, SO, Pitcher)
* Jasie Roberts (HBU, R-FR, Utility)

#### Second Team

* Haley Moore (TAMUCC, SO, 1st Base)
* Shelby Echols (HBU, SO, 2nd Base)
* Autumn Sydlik (HBU, JR, 3rd Base)
* Keely DuBois (NSU, SO, Shortstop)
* Bailey Krolczyk (SELA, SO, Catcher)
* Lexi Johnson (SELA, SO, Designated Player)
* Toni Perrin (MCNS, SR, Outfielder)
* Cam Goodman (SELA, SO, Outfielder)
* Alexandria Torres (TAMUCC, SO, Outfielder)
* Ashley Vallejo (MCNS, SO, Pitcher)
* Heather Zumo (SELA, SR, Pitcher)
* Beatriz Lara (TAMUCC, JR, Pitcher)
* Melise Gossen (NICH, JR, Utility)

### National Softball Signing Day

| Player | Position | Hometown | Previous Team |
| Grace Janik | Infielder/Outfielder | Missouri City, Texas | Ridge Point HS |
| Brooke Otto | Outfielder | Smithville, Texas | Smithville HS |
| Lindsay Davis | Pitcher | Troup, Texas | Troup HS |
| Jada McKelvey-Muñoz | Infielder | San Antonio, Texas | Sandra Day O'Connor HS |
| Reese Reyna | Infielder | Santa Fe, Texas | Santa Fe HS |
| Rylee Eyster | Outfielder | Southaven, Mississippi | Hernando HS |
| Delaney Dunham | Outfielder | Mont Belvieu, Texas | Barbers Hill HS |
| Makynlie Jones | Infielder | Vardaman, Mississippi | Vardaman HS |
| Ryann Schexnayder | Pitcher | Walker, Louisiana | Walker HS |

## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | McNeese State win |
| | McNeese State loss |
| | Postponement/Cancellation |
| Bold | McNeese State team member |
2022 McNeese State Cowgirls softball game log :
Regular season (35–19) :
February (8–6) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| The Evangeline Bank and Trust Invitational I ||||||||||||
| Feb. 11 | Texas Southern | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 11–4 | Johnson (1-0) | Gendorf (0-1) | None | | 564 | 1–0 | |
| Feb. 12 | Tulsa | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 6–0 | Vallejo (1-0) | Pochop (0-1) | None | | | 2–0 | |
| Feb. 12 | UAB | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 4–3$^9$ | Sanders (1-0) | Tindell (0-1) | None | | 612 | 3–0 | |
| Feb. 13 | North Texas | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 1–0 | Vallejo (2-0) | Peters (1-1) | None | | | 4–0 | |
| Feb. 13 | Texas Southern | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 7–0 | Tate (1-0) | Reyes (0-2) | None | | 313 | 5–0 | |
| Feb. 16 | at No. 11 Texas | Red and Charline McCombs Field • Austin, TX | L 4–8 | Simpson (1-0) | Vallejo (2-1) | None | LHN | 894 | 5–1 | |
| Houston Classic ||||||||||||
| Feb. 18 | vs. No. 1 Oklahoma | Cougar Softball Stadium • Houston, TX | L 1–15$^5$ | Bahl (3-0) | Tate (1-1) | None | | | 5–2 | |
| Feb. 18 | at Houston | Cougar Softball Stadium • Houston, TX | W 8–5 | Vallejo (3-1) | Wilkey (2-1) | None | ESPN+ | 728 | 6–2 | |
| Feb. 19 | vs. Texas State | Cougar Softball Stadium • Houston, TX | L 3–5 | Pierce (2-1) | Tate (1-2) | None | | | 6–3 | |
| Feb. 19 | vs. No. 1 Oklahoma | Cougar Softball Stadium • Houston, TX | L 0–11$^5$ | Trautwein (3-0) | Vallejo (3-2) | None | | | 6–4 | |
| The Evangeline Bank and Trust Invitational II ||||||||||||
| Feb. 24 | Sam Houston State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 0–1 | Wasik (2-0) | Vallejo (3-2) | None | | 177 | 6–5 | |
| Feb. 25 | UNLV | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 0–3 | Bressler (5-0) | Tate (1-3) | None | | 473 | 6–6 | |
| Feb. 26 | Manhattan | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 12–0$^5$ | Sanders (2-0) | Metzger (0-1) | None | | 473 | 7–6 | |
| Feb. 26 | Memphis | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 3–1 | Vallejo (4-3) | Siems (2-3) | None | | 473 | 8–6 | |
| Feb. 27 | UT Arlington | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed |
March (9–8) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| Mar. 1 | Louisiana Tech | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 1–6 | Pickett (7-2) | Tate (1-4) | None | | 456 | 8–7 | |
| Mar. 4 | Tarleton State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 4–5 | Ferguson (3-0) | Vallejo (4-4) | None | | 465 | 8–8 | |
| Mar. 5 | Tarleton State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 3–2 | Tate (2-4) | Mayo (1-2) | None | | 456 | 9–8 | |
| Mar. 8 | Tarleton State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 8–1 | Vallejo (5-4) | Ellett (1-2) | None | | 456 | 10–8 | |
| Mar. 9 | at No. 22 Louisiana | Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park • Lafayette, LA | L 3–5 | Lamb (4-2) | Vallejo (5-5) | None | | 1,772 | 10–9 | |
| Mar. 11 | Boise State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 1–4 | Bailey (7-1) | Tate (2-5) | None | | 406 | 10–10 | |
| Mar. 12 | Boise State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 4–7 | Caudill (7-3) | Johnson (1-1) | None | | 447 | 10–11 | |
| Mar. 12 | Boise State | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 1–4 | Bailey (8-1) | Tate (2-6) | None | | 447 | 10–12 | |
| Mar. 16 | Southern | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 14–1$^5$ | Sanders (3-0) | Corona (0-5) | None | | 534 | 11–12 | |
| Mar. 18 | at Baylor | Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX | L 2–5 | Orme (5-6) | Tate (2-7) | None | ESPN+ | 695 | 11–13 | |
| Mar. 19 | at Baylor | Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX | W 5–4 | Sanders (4-0) | West (3-1) | None | ESPN+ | 793 | 12–13 | |
| Mar. 19 | at Baylor | Getterman Stadium • Waco, TX | L 0–3 | Binford (5-2) | Vallejo (5-6) | None | ESPN+ | 793 | 12–14 | |
| Mar. 23 | Southern Miss | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 8–5 | Sanders (5-0) | Kilgore (2-2) | None | ESPN+ | 423 | 13–14 | |
| Mar. 25 | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX | W 5–4$^{10}$ | Vallejo (6-6) | Gilbert (2-5) | None | ESPN+ | 159 | 14–14 | 1–0 |
| Mar. 25 | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX | W 9–0$^5$ | Tate (3-7) | Smith (2-6) | None | ESPN+ | 159 | 15–14 | 2–0 |
| Mar. 26 | at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi | Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX | W 9–3 | Vallejo (7-6) | Gilbert (2-6) | None | | 259 | 16–14 | 3–0 |
| Mar. 29 | Louisiana–Monroe | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 7–5 | Tate (4-7) | Abrams (5-2) | Sanders (1) | | 436 | 17–14 | |
| Mar. 30 | at No. 20 LSU | Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed |
April (16–5) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| Apr. 1 | Houston Baptist | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 1–0 (by forfeit) | | | | | | | 4–0 |
| Apr. 3 | Houston Baptist | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 9–1$^6$ | Sanders (6-0) | Cotton (2-5) | None | | 411 | 18–14 | 5–0 |
| Apr. 3 | Houston Baptist | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 9–1$^5$ | Vallejo (8-6) | Swanson (4-3) | None | | 411 | 19–14 | 6–0 |
| Apr. 4 | Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 13–1$^5$ | Tate (5-7) | Hubbard (0-5) | None | | 376 | 20–14 | |
| Apr. 4 | Arkansas–Pine Bluff | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 16–1$^5$ | Johnson (2-1) | Schmidt (1-8) | None | | 376 | 21–14 | |
| Apr. 6 | Louisiana | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 6–5$^{13}$ | Tate (6-7) | Schorman (6-4) | None | ESPN+ | 560 | 22–14 | |
| Apr. 8 | Southeastern Louisiana | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 1–6 | Zumo (13-3) | Sanders (6-1) | None | | 417 | 22–15 | 6–1 |
| Apr. 9 | Southeastern Louisiana | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 4–0 | Vallejo (9-6) | Ladner (3-2) | None | | 473 | 23–15 | 7–1 |
| Apr. 9 | Southeastern Louisiana | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 9–3 | Tate (7-7) | Findley (2-1) | None | | 473 | 24–15 | 8–1 |
| Apr. 12 | Houston | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed | Game postponed |
| Apr. 14 | at Northwestern State | Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA | W 1–0 | Vallejo (10-6) | Hoover (9-5) | None | | 228 | 25–15 | 9–1 |
| Apr. 15 | at Northwestern State | Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA | W 3–2 | Tate (8-7) | Seely (3-6) | Vallejo (1) | | 237 | 26–15 | 10–1 |
| Apr. 15 | at Northwestern State | Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA | L 3–8 | Rhoden (5-3) | Sanders (6-2) | None | | 244 | 26–16 | 10–2 |
| Apr. 19 | No. 21 LSU | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 1–7 | Chaffin (6-2) | Vallejo (10-7) | None | | 1,150 | 26–17 | |
| Apr. 22 | at Lamar | Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX | W 6–2 | Tate (9-7) | Ruiz (7-13) | Sanders (2) | | 504 | 27–17 | |
| Apr. 23 | Lamar | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 8–1 | Vallejo (11-7) | Ruiz (7-14) | None | ESPN+ | 375 | 28–17 | |
| Apr. 23 | Lamar | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 7–3 | Tate (10-7) | Ruiz (7-15) | None | | 375 | 29–17 | |
| Apr. 26 | at No. 19 LSU | Tiger Park • Baton Rouge, LA | L 1–10$^5$ | Sunseri (7-7) | Tate (10-8) | None | | 1,756 | 29–18 | |
| Apr. 27 | Louisiana–Monroe | Geo-Surfaces Field at the ULM Softball Complex • Monroe, LA | W 3–0 | Vallejo (12-7) | Abrams (7-6) | None | ESPN+ | 325 | 30–18 | |
| Apr. 29 | Incarnate Word | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 9–0$^5$ | Vallejo (13-7) | Trapp (4-8) | None | ESPN+ | 447 | 31–18 | 11–2 |
| Apr. 30 | Incarnate Word | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | L 6–7 | Trapp (5-8) | Tate (10-9) | Gunther (3) | ESPN+ | 507 | 31–19 | 11–3 |
| Apr. 30 | Incarnate Word | Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA | W 8–0$^5$ | Vallejo (14-7) | Garcia (2-10) | None | ESPN+ | 507 | 32–19 | 12–3 |
May (3–0) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall record | SLC Record |
| May 6 | at Nicholls | Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA | W 3–1 | Vallejo (15-7) | Lehman (5-14) | None | 201 | 33–19 | 13–3 |
| May 6 | at Nicholls | Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA | W 7–0 | Tate (11-9) | Turner (7-15) | None | 201 | 34–19 | 14–3 |
| May 7 | at Nicholls | Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA | W 3–0 | Vallejo (16-7) | Lehman (5-15) | None | 155 | 35–19 | 15–3 |
Post-season (5–2) :
Southland Tournament (3–0) :
| Date | Opponent | (Seed)/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| May 11 | vs. (4) Northwestern State | (1) | North Oak Park • Hammond, LA | W 6–5$^8$ | Vallejo (17-7) | Rhoden (6-5) | None | ESPN+ | 267 | 36–19 | 1–0 |
| May 12 | vs. (2) Southeastern Louisiana | (1) | North Oak Park • Hammond, LA | W 7–6$^8$ | Tate (12-9) | Zumo (20-5) | None | ESPN+ | 381 | 37–19 | 2–0 |
| May 13 | vs. (2) Southeastern Louisiana | (1) | North Oak Park • Hammond, LA | W 10–4 | Sanders (7-2) | Romano (0-3) | None | ESPN+ | 331 | 38–19 | 3–0 |
NCAA Division I softball tournament (2–2) :
| Date | Opponent | (Seed)/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | Tournament record |
| Evanston Regionals ||||||||||||
| May 20 | vs. (2)/No. 21 Notre Dame | (3) | Sharon J. Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL | W 11–1$^5$ | Tate (13-9) | Tidd (15-4) | None | ESPN+ | 840 | 39–19 | 1–0 |
| May 21 | vs. (1)/No. 10 Northwestern | (3) | Sharon J. Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL | L 3–17$^5$ | Williams (28-4) | Vallejo (17-8) | None | ESPN+ | | 39–20 | 1–1 |
| May 21 | vs. (2)/No. 21 Notre Dame | (3) | Sharon J. Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL | W 3–1 | Vallejo (18-8) | Becker (10-4) | None | ESPN+ | 987 | 40–20 | 2–1 |
| May 22 | vs. (1)/No. 10 Northwestern | (3) | Sharon J. Drysdale Field • Evanston, IL | L 2–10$^5$ | Williams (29-4) | Tate (13-10) | None | ESPN+ | 1,120 | 40–21 | 2–2 |
    Schedule Source:
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.