LAKE CHARLES- McNeese softball will return home this weekend to begin a five-game home stand which will get started with its Southland Conference opening weekend with a three-game series against Incarnate Word and will end with single game against Baylor next Tuesday and Wednesday.
 
The conference series will begin with a 5 p.m. doubleheader Friday and will conclude with a single game at noon Saturday. Saturday is also alumni day and all former softball alumni are invited to attend the game free along with one guest. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $5 for kids (12 and under).
 
Also prior to Saturday's game, McNeese will conduct a pregame ceremony to retire the jersey of Cowgirl great Erika Piancastelli.
 
McNeese (8-13) is coming off a 1-4 week where they spent five day in Oklahoma taking part in the Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational then capped their week off against no. 3 Oklahoma.
 
The Cowgirls opened tournament action with 6-1 loss to Seattle before falling 3-2 to no. 21 Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls picked up their only win of the tournament with a 7-5 win over Northern Iowa. McNeese closed out tournament action with a 12-2 loss to Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls ended their week with a respectable 6-1 loss to Oklahoma on Tuesday.
 
Senior Justyce McClain continues to lead at the plate with a .409 batting average, 27 hits, 15 runs scored, and nine stolen bases.
 
In the circle, junior Alexsandra Flores leads the team with four wins (4-5) and sophomore Amber Coons has a team low 0.79 ERA with a 2-1 record.
 
Incarnate Word (2-15) is coming off a home doubleheader split against Texas Southern at home Wednesday. The Cardinals dropped the first game 4-3 before picking up a 6-5 win in the nightcap. The other UIW win on the year came against Bethune-Cookman on March 1.
 
 
HOW TO PURCHASE TICKETS TO HOME GAMES
https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2/team.asp?SponsorID=12335#.XIFughNKiCc
 
 
HOW TO FOLLOW THE GAMES
Fans can watch, listen or follow Cowgirls throughout the season various ways by going to
https://mcneesesports.com/schedule.aspx?path=softball