Saturday, May 22
Baton Rouge, LA
5:30 PM
George Washington University
37-11
0
vs
12
McNeese State
35-25
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
McNeese St.
0
3
2
3
4
12
14
1
George Washington
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
1
Softball Concludes Historic Spring at Baton Rouge Regional
5/22/2021 9:09:00 PM | Softball
A-10 champions cap season at 37-11
BATON ROUGE, La. – GW softball finished its history-making spring on Saturday, falling to McNeese State, 12-0 in five innings, at the Baton Rouge Regional.
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The Buff and Blue earned a spot in the NCAA field after sweeping the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles and then showed they belonged on that stage over two days at Tiger Park.
After dueling Louisiana Friday night in an epic opener that the Ragin' Cajuns won with an unearned run in the 11th inning, GW fell into an early hole against the Cowgirls on Saturday and couldn't recover in the season-ending setback.
"Just proud of our girls for what they did all year long," GW Head Coach Shane Winkler said. "You want a better showing here. You want to put some runs on the board because we had such a great offense all year, but it doesn't take away from what we accomplished in being A-10 champions and getting to play on this level and showing that we belong."
McNeese State used a heavy dose of small ball to build a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Cowgirls plated their runs with a pair of squeeze bunts and a steal of home.
The Southland Conference champions tacked on two more in the top of the third, three more in the fourth and four more in the fifth to pick up the run-rule victory.
Before it was over, GW's magical season yielded one more unforgettable moment.
Two-time A-10 Player of the Year Jenna Cone wasn't in the starting lineup after spraining her ankle in the first inning of Friday's game. In the bottom of the fifth vs. McNeese State, she gingerly made her way to the plate as a pinch hitter and proceeded to fire a single into right field.
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Cone was removed for a pinch runner to a hug from Head Coach Shane Winkler and a rousing ovation from her teammates in recognition of the 277th hit of her decorated career.
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At 37-11, the Buff and Blue finished with the best winning percentage (.771) in program history, and their excellence was recognized with a record haul of All-Conference and All-Region honors.
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After having her senior season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cone returned as a graduate student and became the first student-athlete to win repeat A-10 Player of the Year honors in more than two decades while finishing her tenure in Buff and Blue as the conference's all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. She and classmates Jessica Linquist and Faith Weber will move on after five seasons with a revered place in program history secure.
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Lange was sensational throughout the season in the most crucial moments. The redshirt junior from Plano, Texas, earned the first A-10 Pitcher of the Year award in program history and then was named Most Outstanding Player at the A-10 Championship before showcasing her skills for a national audience this weekend.
It all amounted to a season to remember. After going 23-1 during the A-10 regular season, GW earned its first NCAA bid last weekend with a dramatic run through the conference tournament that featured four straight wins in elimination games.
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Despite being unable to repeat the feat in NCAA play, this group was able to push the program to new heights while enjoying the ride amid the challenges of an unprecedented season.
"It was a tough year, but at the same time, our group came together, our culture got even stronger," Winkler said. "These girls love each other. You can see the way it pours out of them in the dugout and on the field, the way they celebrate each other's success. Having a group that cares about each other so much and cares about GWÂ play at this level and showcase where we've come as a program means the world to me as a coach."
Â
The Buff and Blue earned a spot in the NCAA field after sweeping the Atlantic 10 regular season and tournament titles and then showed they belonged on that stage over two days at Tiger Park.
After dueling Louisiana Friday night in an epic opener that the Ragin' Cajuns won with an unearned run in the 11th inning, GW fell into an early hole against the Cowgirls on Saturday and couldn't recover in the season-ending setback.
"Just proud of our girls for what they did all year long," GW Head Coach Shane Winkler said. "You want a better showing here. You want to put some runs on the board because we had such a great offense all year, but it doesn't take away from what we accomplished in being A-10 champions and getting to play on this level and showing that we belong."
McNeese State used a heavy dose of small ball to build a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. The Cowgirls plated their runs with a pair of squeeze bunts and a steal of home.
The Southland Conference champions tacked on two more in the top of the third, three more in the fourth and four more in the fifth to pick up the run-rule victory.
Before it was over, GW's magical season yielded one more unforgettable moment.
Two-time A-10 Player of the Year Jenna Cone wasn't in the starting lineup after spraining her ankle in the first inning of Friday's game. In the bottom of the fifth vs. McNeese State, she gingerly made her way to the plate as a pinch hitter and proceeded to fire a single into right field.
Â
Cone was removed for a pinch runner to a hug from Head Coach Shane Winkler and a rousing ovation from her teammates in recognition of the 277th hit of her decorated career.
 The defeat capped an unforgettable run for a veteran group that entered the season with high expectations and reached them every step of the way.What a moment for @jennacone! One of the top sluggers in @NCAAsoftball history shrugged off an ankle injury for one final at-bat and found a way to deliver the 277th hit of her decorated career.#RaiseHigh | #RoadToWCWS pic.twitter.com/igd38HuNXJ
— GW Softball (@GW_Softball) May 23, 2021
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At 37-11, the Buff and Blue finished with the best winning percentage (.771) in program history, and their excellence was recognized with a record haul of All-Conference and All-Region honors.
Â
After having her senior season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cone returned as a graduate student and became the first student-athlete to win repeat A-10 Player of the Year honors in more than two decades while finishing her tenure in Buff and Blue as the conference's all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. She and classmates Jessica Linquist and Faith Weber will move on after five seasons with a revered place in program history secure.
Â
Lange was sensational throughout the season in the most crucial moments. The redshirt junior from Plano, Texas, earned the first A-10 Pitcher of the Year award in program history and then was named Most Outstanding Player at the A-10 Championship before showcasing her skills for a national audience this weekend.
It all amounted to a season to remember. After going 23-1 during the A-10 regular season, GW earned its first NCAA bid last weekend with a dramatic run through the conference tournament that featured four straight wins in elimination games.
Â
Despite being unable to repeat the feat in NCAA play, this group was able to push the program to new heights while enjoying the ride amid the challenges of an unprecedented season.
"It was a tough year, but at the same time, our group came together, our culture got even stronger," Winkler said. "These girls love each other. You can see the way it pours out of them in the dugout and on the field, the way they celebrate each other's success. Having a group that cares about each other so much and cares about GWÂ play at this level and showcase where we've come as a program means the world to me as a coach."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tate, W. (14-8)
L: Lange, Sierra (21-10)
Batting:
2B: Lopez, K. 1 ; Perrin, T. 1
RBI: Poullard, J. 1 ; Lopez, K. 3 ; Brinlee, H. 1 ; Perrin, T. 3 ; Gomez, C. 1 ; Ortiz, A. 1 ; Strother, T. 1
SH: Gomez, C. 1 ; Strother, T. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McCrary, C. 1 ; Poullard, J. 2 ; Lopez, K. 1 ; Williams, P. 1 ; Brinlee, H. 1 ; Perrin, T. 2 ; Seneca, A. 1 ; Gomez, C. 1 ; Ortiz, A. 1 ; Strother, T. 1
SB: McCrary, C. 1 ; Perrin, T. 1 ; Ortiz, A. 1
CS: Poullard, J. 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
dh/lf
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
1b/dh
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Softball Gratitude Video
Monday, November 28
NFCA All-American Sierra Lange
Wednesday, June 22
Elana Meyers Taylor Heads to Fourth Olympics
Friday, February 11
Elana Meyers Taylor Heads to Fourth Olympic Games
Friday, February 11