LAKE CHARLES—For the first time in program history, McNeese softball and Texas will meet on the diamond Wednesday for a single game at 4 p.m. in Austin, Texas. The game can be seen on the Longhorn Network or followed by live stats. All links can be found on mcneesesports.com.
McNeese (19-10) enters the game on a seven game winning streak and have won 14 of their last 15 games. The Cowgirls last lost came in a 7-2 setback against Oregon State in the San Diego Classic on March 4. Since then McNeese has picked up a non-conference win over Houston Baptist and back-to-back Southland Conference series wins over Central Arkansas and Sam Houston State.
Wednesday's game will be the first of four straight road games for McNeese. The Cowgirls will continue on to San Antonio, Texas for a SLC series at Incarnate Word that begins with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Friday. The series will conclude with a single game on Saturday. McNeese will travel to Houston for a mid-week game next week before returning home to host NW State in a SLC series March 31-April 1.
Sophomore
Justyce McClain leads the Cowgirls at the plate with a .423 batting average with 22 hits including a team best two triples.
Junior
Erika Piancastelli, who was named this week's Southland Conference Hitter of the Week, is batting .365 with a team high 31 hits and 26 walks. She has five homeruns on the year and 23 RBI.
Eight other Cowgirls are batting over .300 with
Morgan Catron leading the team with six home runs and 29 RBI.
In the circle, senior
Rachel Smith and
Alexsandra Flores both have six wins on the year. Smith is 6-4 with a 2.62 ERA and 46 strikeouts. She has won her last three games with the last two being shutouts. Smith hurled a one-hitter against UCA and a two-hitter against Sam Houston State in the opening game of both conference series.
Flores is 6-2 on the season with a 2.21 ERA with 27 strikeouts. She has won her last five games with her most recent being two-hit, 8-0 shutout win in the second game of a three game series over Sam Houston State.
Texas (16-11) has won four of their last five games and is coming off a series win over Cal-State Fullerton last weekend.
The Longhorn's are led by Taylor Ellsworth's .485 average. Deon Tunning has a team best 30 hits and four home runs.
Paige Von Sprecken and Brooke Bolinger are both 4-2 on the season but Texas has a pitching staff that consists of five pitchers. Sprecken leads the staff with a 1.92 ERA and 45 strikeouts while Bolinger has a 2.28 ERA with 11 strikeouts. Tiarra Davis has 38 strikeouts and a 2.45 ERA along with a 3-5 record while Erica Wright is 3-2 on the season with a 2.60 ERA and 33 strikeouts. Kristen Clark is 2-0 with a 4.27 ERA and 15 strikeouts.
