LAKE CHARLES—The McNeese softball team will open its 2016 season on the road Thursday in a 6 p.m. game at Louisiana-Monroe. The game will be streamed live and live stats will also be available. Both links can be found on mcnessesports.com.
 
McNeese, under second year head coach Joanna Hardin is coming off a 36-20 overall record in 2015 and a second place finish in the SLC with a 21-5 record.
 
"We can't wait to take the field together Thursday against UL-Monroe," Hardin said. "Coach Lyon has a quality team up there so it will be a test for us right out the gate. It will be nice to have everyone in the same dugout rather than separated like we have been during our intra squads. We are ready to get out there and compete and be able see where we are as a team and what we need to do to continue getting better every day."
 
The Cowgirls' schedule will help the team bond quickly and they will have to keep their bags packed because their first 19 games, which includes three tournaments, are away from Cowgirl Diamond. McNeese will face the University of Houston on March 9 in its home opener.
 
Following Thursday's season open, McNeese will travel to Waco, Texas for a three game series against Baylor, the preseason no. 16^th ranked team in the country. The series will consist of single games beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday. The teams will take to the diamond for a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday with the series concluding with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.
 
Hardin and her staff will have eight starters returning including All-American catcher Erika Piancastelli. Piancastelli was recently named to the ASA/USA Top 50 Player of the Year "Watch List". Piancastelli had a break out rookie season that saw her earn several postseason honors including Southland player, hitter and freshman of the year. The Cowgirls' top four pitchers from last season all return and that list includes seniors Emily Vincent and Jamie Allred, junior Rachel Smith and sophomore Jolie Trahan.
 
Like Piancastelli, Vincent also received preseason national recognition as Fastpitch News named her one of their Top 50 Pitchers. Vincent is coming off a junior campaign where she led the Cowgirls with a 14-6 record, 2.15 ERA, 105 strikeouts, and 117.1 innings pitched. Smith was second on the team with a 12-6 record, 2.97 ERA, and 90 strikeouts. Allred was 6-7 with a 3.13 ERA and 69 strikeouts. Trahan was 2-0 as a freshman with a 3.73 ERA.
 
Other starters returning include seniors Taylor Goree and Taylor Schmidt, junior Tori Yanitor and sophomores Hailey Drew and Morgan Catron.
 
The Cowgirls also return junior Marissa Taunton and sophomores Shanice Hagler, Shelbi Strickland and Haley Perkins. The newcomers include freshmen Justyce McClain, Taylor Edwards, Megan Trahan, Aubree Turbeville, Morgan Hardey, and Megan Holmes. Lauren Wyble will redshirt this season after suffering an injury in the fall.