LAKE CHARLES-- McNeese softball will return to its Southland Conference schedule this weekend to host Houston Baptist in a three game series. Friday's doubleheader has been moved up to a 1 p.m. start due to rain in the forecast. A single game is scheduled for noon on Saturday. Saturday's game will be the Cowgirls' military appreciation day.
McNeese (20-9, 6-0 SLC) and winners of 11 of their last 15 games, will look to remain undefeated in conference play after sweeping conference series against Sam Houston State and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Cowgirls will look to get back on track after dropping its first series of the season in a three-game loss to Pac-12 member Utah on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Freshman
Erika Piancastelli heads up a group of Cowgirls hitting over .300. Piancastelli has a .398 average and also leads McNeese with eight home runs, 10 doubles, 25 RBI, 17 walks and is tied for a team-high 33 hits. She also boasts a .807 slugging percent and a .505 on base percent.
Senior
Lauren Langner is second with a .393 average and is tied with Piancastelli with 33 hits. Langner also has 11 stolen bases on the season to go along with 15 runs scored.
Junior
Emily Vincent is batting .367 on the season and is also tied for a team-high with 33 hits. Vincent has nine doubles and RBI's and three home runs along with 12 walks. In the circle, Vincent has a staff best 8-1 record and a 0.94 ERA with two shutouts in 59.2 innings. She is holding opponents to a .171 batting average.
Freshman infielder
Hailey Drew is batting .338, with 26 hits and is second on the team with 17 RBI. Drew is also tied with a team-high 11 stolen bases.
HBU (6-16, 0-6 SLC) will be looking to pick up its first conference win of the season. The Huskies enter the game on an eight game losing streak after dropping a doubleheader at Houston and conference series to Lamar and Northwestern State.
Freshman outfielder Nicole Shedd leads HBU with a .364 average, 24 hits and 13 RBI. Lacie Belovsky leads the pitching staff with four victories (4-6) and has a 4.90 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 70 innings.
