LAKE CHARLES—McNeese softball, the two-time Southland Conference Champions, will begin its quest to three-peat when they open the Southland Conference schedule on the same field they claimed the 2017 title. Live streaming and live stats will be available. Links can be found on mcneesesports.com.
McNeese (16-5), ranked 25
th this week, will travel to Conway, Arkansas this weekend for its conference opening three game series against Central Arkansas (7-9) that will begin with a 5 p.m. doubleheader Friday, March 9. The series will conclude with a single game at 1 p.m. Saturday.
The Cowgirls will enter the series after coming off a 2-2 record at the LSU Invitational last weekend that saw McNeese pick up a 7-1 win over Purdue and a 7-5, 10 inning win against Illinois State. The Cowgirls dropped a 2-0 heartbreaker in a bottom of the seventh walk off home run against then #10 LSU. The Cowgirls ended tournament action with a 4-2 loss to Florida Atlantic.
Junior
Justyce McClain continues to lead the Cowgirls with a .448 batting average and is tied for a team best 10 stolen bases. Freshman Toni Perrin also has 10 stolen bases on the year. McClain also leads the Cowgirls in hits (30), and runs scored (20).
Senior
Morgan Catron is batting .357 and leads McNeese with 13 walks while senior
Erika Piancastelli leads the team with seven home runs, five doubles and 20 RBI and is batting .290.
Brenique Wright is batting .308 and has a team best .712 slugging percent. Wright is second on the team with 5 home runs and 15 RBI.
In the circle, sophomore
Alexsandra Flores is 6-2 with a 2.84 ERA and has a team high 25 strikeouts. Freshman
Caroline Settle is 5-2 with a 2.64 ERA in 50.1 innings with 20 strikeouts. Freshman Amber Coons is 4-1 with a 3.41 ERA in 37.0 innings with 23 strikeouts and freshman Ashley Koncir is 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA in 12.2 innings with one strikeout.
UCA, like the Cowgirls haven't played since last weekend. The Bears are coming off a 2-3 showing at the Eastern Michigan Madeira Beach Invitational.
Kate Myers leads UCA with a .380 batting average and 19 hits and 13 RBI while Rio Sanchez is 3-2 in the circle with a 1.85 ERA. Ellie Reaves is 2-2 with a 2.77 ERA and leads UCA with 12 strikeouts and 35.1 innings pitched.
