LAKE CHARLES—The final weekend of the regular season will determine the Southland Conference softball champions and the McNeese Cowgirls control their own destiny when they host Central Arkansas in a three game series beginning with a 6 p.m. game Friday and concluding with a doubleheader at 1 p.m. Saturday. All games will be carried live on kezmonline.com as well as streamed on mcneesesports.com. Seniors
Taylor Goree,
Emily Vincent and
Jamie Allred will be honored following Saturday's doubleheader.
McNeese (36-12, 20-4 SLC) will be looking to capture its fifth overall conference title and third in the last four years. The Cowgirls enter the weekend ½ game ahead of second place Nicholls (36-14, 19-4 SLC). In order to clinch the title, the Cowgirls must sweep the three game series over Central Arkansas or match Nicholls' series record against Lamar this weekend. Regardless of the outcome this weekend, McNeese has earned a first round bye in next weeks Southland Conference Tournament, May 11-13 in Lake Charles.
The Cowgirls enter the weekend having won eight of their last 10 games and are on a three game winning streak after picking up a 4-0 shutout over Houston on Tuesday.
Sophomore catcher
Erika Piancastelli continues to lead the Cowgirls offense with a .380 hitting percent, .967 slugging percent, 54 runs scored, 20 homeruns, and 38 RBI. The Carlsbad, California native is still looking to become McNeese's career homerun leader, needing one more to break the record of 38 held by Heather Moreaux. Lately, Piancastelli hasn't been given the opportunity to get that homerun as she has been walked in most of her at bats. She enters the game with 56 walks on the season.
With Piancastelli being given free passes, the offense behind her has picked up the slack. Five other Cowgirls are batting over .300 including junior centerfielder
Marisa Taunton who is second on the team with a .362 average and leads the Cowgirls with 54 hits and 21 stolen bases. Second baseman
Hailey Drew has a .350 average and 25 RBI. Drew is second on the team with 17 hit by pitches.
Morgan Catron is batting .324 and leads McNeese and ranks second in the nation with 25 hit by pitches.
Emily Vincent has been productive behind the plate and in the circles as well this season. The senior from Sulphur is batting .315 with 46 hits and six home runs. In the circle, Vincent is 13-3 on the year with a 1.75 ERA. She enters the weekend having won eight of her last nine games. Freshman outfielder
Justyce McClain who was named the Louisiana Sports Writers Association Hitter of the Week has a .348 average, 31 hits, and 20 RBI.
The pitching staff is solidified with senior
Jamie Allred who has a 14-3 overall record and a 1.66 ERA. Allred is closing in on the career victory record of 67 held by Megan Bond. Allred enters the weekend with 65 career wins. Junior
Rachel Smith its 7-2 on the year with a 2.96 ERA and sophomore
Jolie Trahan is 2-4 with a 4.58 ERA.
Central Arkansas (35-17, 16-8 SLC) has also clinched a spot in the SLC Tournament enters the weekend in fourth place and is playing for a higher tournament seed. The Bears are led at the plate by Briana Whisenhunt's .312 average and 24 stolen bases. Jessie Taylor leads UCA with 12 homeruns and 48 RBI. Shivaun Landeros is 21-11 in the circle with a 2.72 ERA while Kayla Gomness is 11-4 with a 2.17 ERA.
Southland Conference 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.
