LAKE CHARLES--  McNeese softball will begin a six game home stand beginning Thursday when the Cowgirls take on 14^th ranked Baylor in a single game at 6 p.m.
 
McNeese will remain home on the weekend for a three-game Southland Conference series against Northwestern State. That series will begin with a 6 p.m. game on Friday and conclude with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday. The home stand will conclude with a doubleheader next Wednesday against top ranked LSU.
 
 McNeese (26-14) will look to bounce back from its first Southland Conference series loss of the season at Nicholls last weekend.
 
Senior Lauren Langner and freshman Erika Piancastelli are both currently batting over .400. Langner leads the team with a .420 average, 50 hits, is tied for a team high 28 runs scored and is second with 18 stolen bases. Piancastelli is batting .407 and leads McNeese with 14 home runs, 12 doubles and 41 RBI.
 
Junior Emily Vincent continues to lead the pitching staff with a 10-3 record and a 1.05 ERA.  Vincent also leads the Cowgirls with 86.1 innings pitched, 74 strikeout and has nine complete games.
 
Sophomore Rachel Smith is 9-4 on the year with a 2.05 ERA. Smith has appeared in 17 games, thrown 75.0 innings with 65 strikeouts.
 
Junior Jamie Allred is 6-6 on the year with a 2.77 ERA in 83.1 innings. She has seven thrown seven complete games and has recorded 56 strikeouts.
 
Baylor (27-7) will play at Texas State Wednesday night before facing the Cowgirls on Thursday.  The Bears hold an overall 15-4 series record over the Cowgirls. The last meeting between the two teams was in 2014 in Waco.  Baylor won the game 6-0.
 
Lindsey Cargil leads Baylor with a .414 average and 41 hits while Shelby Friudenberg leads the Bears with eight home runs.
 
In the circle, Heather Sterns leads the staff with a 12-5 record along with a 2.50 ERA. Stearns has thrown 109.1 innings and has 143 strikeouts to her credit.