LAKE CHARLES—Coming off a 3-2 record in their opening weekend of the season, the McNeese softball team will look to continue that success this weekend at the Houston Hilton Invitational.
 
McNeese started the 2015 season with a 3-0 record for the first time since 1987 after defeating Florida Gulf Coast, Florida International and Southern Miss last weekend at the Sand Dollar Classic.  The Cowgirls ended tournament play with their losses coming against no. 3 Alabama and no. 23 South Alabama.
 
Although McNeese won't face any ranked teams this weekend, the tournament field will consist of two teams that advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. The Cowgirls will open this weekend's tournament action with two games on Friday beginning with a 4:30 game against the tournament host Houston. McNeese will cap the day off with a 7 p.m. game against UMass.
 
Saturday's schedule also has McNeese playing two games. The Cowgirls will take on Southland Conference member Stephen F. Austin at 9 a.m. and Northern Iowa at 3:30 p.m. McNeese will close out the tournament with an 11:30 a.m. game against DePaul.
 
Houston, who advanced to the NCAA regionals last season, also opened the season at the Sand Dollar Classic lase weekend with a 3-4 record.
 
Stephen F. Austin (2-3) is coming off a runner-up finish at the Baylor Getterman  Classic where the Ladyjacks fell 3-0 to No. 10 Baylor in the championship game. Northern Iowa is 3-3 after hosting its own tournament last weekend.
 
DePaul, the 2014 Big East champs also advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. The Blue Demons are 1-4 this season after taking part in the Hawaii Paradise Classic last weekend.
 
For UMass, this will be their opening weekend. The Minutewomen are coming off a 16-22-1 season with 17 letterwinners and seven starters.
 
Senior Lauren Langner will lead the Cowgirls into the weekend with a .375 batting average including six hits and one double. Freshman Morgan Catron also has a .375 average with three hits.
 
Sophomore Dakota Matiko leads the team with four RBI and is second with a .313 batting average.
 
Junior Emily Vincent, the Southland's "Pitcher of the Week", leads the pitching staff with a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA.  Vincent picked up her first win of the season in relief over Florida Gulf Coast then followed that with a three hit shutout against Southern Miss. Vincent is also producing at the plate with a .308 batting average.