LAKE CHARLES--  The McNeese softball team will face its fourth nationally ranked team this season when the Cowgirls travel to Baton Rouge Tuesday night to take on 14^th ranked LSU in a 6 p.m. contest at Tiger Park.
 
The game will be streamed online through SEC Network+ and will be broadcast on kezmonline. All links can be found on mcneesesports.com.
 
McNeese (33-10) went 2-1 against Baylor in February who was ranked #16 at the time. McNeese picked up an 8-4 win over then 23^rd ranked Mississippi State during the Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic then dropped a 5-4, nine-inning game at then no. 5 UL-Lafayette.
 
The Cowgirls enter the game on a five game winning streak after sweeping Southeastern Louisiana in a Southland Conference series over the weekend. McNeese remains atop the conference standings with an 18-3 record, 1½ games ahead of second place Nicholls and two games ahead of third place Lamar. The Cowgirls will travel to Lamar.
 
LSU (36-13) is undefeated in midweek games at 9-0 and have a 26-2 record against non-conference opponents this season. LSU is 6-0 against in-state teams this season. The Tigers have won eight of the last 10 games against the Cowgirls including last year's 13-4 (5 inning) win in Lake Charles. McNeese picked up a 2-1 win over the Tigers in 2014 in the last meeting in Baton Rouge.
 
As a team, the Cowgirls lead the conference with a .311 batting average, .477 slugging percent, a .412 on base percent, 274 runs scored and 232 RBI. The pitching staff has the second best ERA (2.14), strikeouts (235) and ha held opponents to a .230 average.
 
Sophomore All-American Erika Piancastelli will be looking to become the school's career home run leader after tying the record of 38 with her 20^th homerun of the season in the final game of the SE La. series. Piancastelli ranks second in the nation in homeruns and leads the nation with a 1.074 slugging percent. She also ranks third with 52 walks and a .614 on base percent.
 
Also providing offensive output is junior outfielder Marisa Taunton who is second on the team with a .372 average and a team high 21 stolen bases. Hailey Drew is batting .372 with 24 RBI and 14 stolen bases. Also batting over .300 is Morgan Catron (.320), Tori Yanitor (.307), and Emily Vincent (.305).
 
Vincent and fellow senior Jamie Allred both carry a 12-2 record in the circle and both are coming off victories over SE La. Vincent will bring a 1.59 ERA into the game Tuesday along with 116 strikeouts in 110 innings.
 
Allred, who picked up her 63^rd career win the second game against SE La., is four wins away from tying the career record of 67 held by Meagan Bond.
Bianca Bell leads a potent LSU offense with a .357 average and has 46 hits and is second on the team with 52 RBI. Four Tigers have 47 hits apiece including Sahvanna Jaquish who leads LSU with 52 RBI and 11 homeruns. Jaquish is also batting .353. Sandra Simmons, Bailey Landry and Emily Griggs also have 47 hits apiece.
 
In the circle, Carley Hoover is 13-6 with a 2.42 ERA while Allie Walljasper is 8-5 with a 1.58 and Sydney Smith is 9-2 with a 0.66 ERA.
 
McNeese will host the Southland Conference Tournament May 11-13 at Cowgirl Diamond. Tournament tickets are currently on sale and can be purchase in person at the Jack Doland Fieldhouse (M-F, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.) or online at mcneesetickets.com.
 
Tournament ticket prices are $21 for an adult all-tournament pass, $11 for youth (ages 5-17) all-tournament pass. Single day tickets are $11 for adults and $6 for youth. Children under 5 will be admitted free. Southland Conference students will also be admitted free with a university ID.