LAKE CHARLES—The McNeese softball team (24-6, 9-0 SLC) will look to extend its eight game winning streak and remain undefeated in the Southland Conference when the Cowgirls host Abilene Christian in a three game series beginning with a 5 p.m. doubleheader Friday. The series will conclude with a single game at 12 p.m. Saturday.
Fans can watch/follow all three games through live streaming or live stats on mcneesesports.com. Saturday's game will be broadcast on kezmonline.com.
This weekend is alumni weekend and all former softball alumni are welcomed back to take part in the festivities. Members of the 1983 team that won the first McNeese Southland Conference title will throw out the first pitch on Friday. To honor the 1983 championship team, the Cowgirls will wear retro uniforms similar to the one's worn in 1983 for Friday's game. Prior to Saturday's game, former head coach Scott Eastman is scheduled to throw out the first pitch.
The Cowgirls are coming off a 6-0 road win at Southern Miss on Tuesday and picked up a come from behind 2-1, eight inning win at South Alabama on Wednesday.
As a team, the Cowgirls have a .320 overall batting average and boast a .402 average in conference games. McNeese has outscored its SLC opponents 88-8 and have won seven of the nine games via the run-rule. Of the nine wins, four have been shutout victories.
Sophomore
Erika Piancastelli hit her 16
th home run of the season in the top of the eight in what turned out to be the game-winning run. Piancastelli is on the verge of breaking the McNeese single season and career home runs records. She holds the single season record of 18 home runs she set last season. She enters the weekend with 34 career home runs, five shy of breaking that record. Heather Moreaux, who played first base for the Cowgirls from 1999-2002, holds the career record with 38. Piancastelli ranks second in the nation in home runs, one behind UL-Lafayette Lexie Elkins who has 17 on the year. Piancastelli also ranks second in the nation with a 1.091 slugging percent. Elkins also leads the nation with a 1.263 slugging percent. Piancastelli ranks third in the nation in home runs per game (0.53) and 10
th in runs per game with 1.23 per contest.
McNeese has seven players batting over .300 that meet the minimum. Piancastelli leads the team with a .432 average, 38 hits, 33, RBI, 23 walks, 37 runs scored and is tied for the team lead with eight doubles.
Marisa Taunton leads the Cowgirls with 15 stolen bases and is second on the team with a .389 average.
Hailey Drew is batting .361 with 26 hits and 13 stolen bases.
Tori Yanitor is batting .318 with 28 hits, seven doubles and 17 RBI.
Taylor Goree who had her 13 game hitting streak snapped against South Alabama, is batting .311 and is tied for the team lead with eight doubles.
Justyce McClain has a .304 average and
Emily Vincent has a .300 average.
The pitching trio of Vincent,
Jamie Allred and
Rachel Smith come into the series with a combined 23-4 record. Allred is 10-1 with a 1.62 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 69.1 innings. Allred has won her last nine games. Her lone blemish of the season was a 5-4 loss at #16 Baylor on Feb. 12. Vincent is 7-2 with a 7-2 ERA, 76 strikeouts in 72 innings. Smith is 6-1 with a 2.80 ERA, 23 strikeouts in 35 innings. After suffering her first loss of the season on Feb. 14 at Baylor, she has won her last six games.
Abilene Christian (12-15, 6-3 SLC) comes into the weekend having lost their last two games and three of their last four. The Wildcats are coming off a 6-1 loss at Texas Tech on Wednesday and dropped the final game of a SLC series at Central Arkansas 11-10 last Saturday.
Brianna Barnhill and Holly Neese lead the team with a .308 average and both have 24 hits. Neese leads the Wildcats with 24 RBI and five home runs. Peyton Hedrick leads the team with 26 hits and seven doubles.
Casey-May Huff is 2-0 on the season with a 2.07 ERA but has only appeared in seven games and has thrown 23 2/3 innings. Hannah Null is 6-7 on the year with a 3.91 ERA in 82.1 innings and has a team-high 68 strikeouts. Allison Turner is 4-8 on the season with a 4.55 ERA with 26 strikeouts in 64.2 innings.
