HAMMOND, La. — McNeese scored three runs in the later innings to hand Sam Houston a 3-1 loss in the second round of the Southland Conference Tournament at North Oak Park on Thursday.
 
The Bearkats (19-30) will head to the elimination bracket where they will play the loser of game six between Stephen F. Austin and Northwestern State/Southeastern Louisiana Friday at 1:30 p.m. weather permitting.
 
The game started as a pitchers' duel between freshman Mika Vento and McNeese's Jenna Edwards as neither team was able to break through offensively in the first three innings.
 
The Cowgirls (31-24) finally got on the board in the fourth inning thanks to a walk, a single and an error to take a 1-0 lead.
 
McNeese added two more insurance runs in the fifth. Cori McCrary and Kaylee Lopez both hit RBI singles.
 
The Bearkats cut the lead to two when freshman Taylor Bachmeyer walked in the sixth. Kyndal Kutac ripped an RBI double to left-center field.
 
Sam Houston got another double by freshman Hannah Scheaffer to lead off the top of the seventh, but McNeese turned a double play and Edwards got a flyout to end it.
 
Edwards improved to 8-2 on the season. Vento took the loss to fall to 8-8.