TOURNAMENT CENTRAL


LAKE CHARLES- The three-time defending Southland Conference Softball Tournament Champs, McNeese will open play at the 2019 tournament in Natchitoches, Louisiana at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 7.
 
The Cowgirls (28-28), enter the tournament as the No. 3 seed for the second year in a row. McNeese will play the winner of the 1:30 p.m. game between No. 6 seed Northwestern State and No. 7 seed Lamar.
 
The first 11 tournament games will be streamed on the Southland Digital Network and the Southland apps. The championship game will be televised on ESPNU and watch ESPN apps. All Cowgirl tournament games will broadcast on the McNeese Radio Network- KEZM 1310 AM radio.
 
The tournament begins at 11 a.m. with the No. 5 seed Southeastern Louisiana facing the No. 8 seed Central Arkansas followed by the Northwestern State/Lamar game. The first two games of the tournament are single elimination with the remainder of the tournament being double elimination.
 
Regular season champs and top seed Sam Houston State and No. 2 seed Nicholls earned a double bye and will not play their first game until Wednesday.
 
Senior Justyce McClain continues to lead McNeese with a .405 batting average, 75 hits, 36 runs, .449 slugging percent, and a .455 on base percent. McClain is second on the team with 28 stolen bases in 30 attempts.
 
Junior Cori McCrary is second on the team with a .297 average. McCrary has a team high 24 RBI, 17 walks, and 33 stolen bases. She is second on the team with 51 hits and 10 doubles.
 
Senior Aubree Turbeville is swinging a hot bat as of late and is third on the team with a .268 average, 33 hits and 19 RBI.
 
Freshman, Kaylee Lopez is coming off a week that saw her earn Southland Conference Hitter of the Week after producing a .545 average with five RBI, one double and two stolen bases. Lopez enters the tournament with a .292 average, 26 hits and 13 RBI.
 
Sophomore Demi Boudreaux is batting .239 and leads the Cowgirls with 13 doubles and is third with 37 hits.
 
In the circle, the Cowgirls pitching staff is comprised of five pitchers who have all seen starting time this year.
 
Junior Alexsandra Flores leads the staff with the most wins (12-11) and 133.2 innings. Flores enters the tournament having won her last two games and four of her last six along with a 2.83 ERA.
 
Freshman Saleen Flores (5-5) has the lowest ERA (1.67) and most strikeouts (57) on the staff and is second with 100.1 innings.
 
Sophomore Amber Coon is 4-4 on the year with a 2.32 ERA in 66.1 innings with 38 strikeouts.
Sophomore Caroline Settle is 708 with a 2.83 ERA in 78.0 and has 56 strikeouts.
 
Sophomore Ashley Koncir has been limited to action since an injury in the fall.
 
 
2019 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, MAY 7
11 a.m.- G1- No. 8 Central Arkansas vs. No. 5 Southeastern La.
1:30 p.m.- G2- No. 7 Lamar vs. No. 6 Northwestern State
4 p.m.- G3- No. 4 Stephen F. Austin vs. G1 Winner
6:30 p.m.- G4- No. 3 McNeese vs. G2 Winner
 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 8
11 a.m.- G5- No. 1 Sam Houston State vs. G3 Winner
1:30 p.m.- G6- No. 2 Nicholls vs. G4 Winner
4 p.m.- G7- G4 Loser vs. G5 Loser
6:30 p.m.- G8- Game 3 Loser vs. G6 Loser
 
THURSDAY, MAY 9
11 a.m.- G9- G5 Winner vs. G6 Winner
1:30 p.m.- G10- G7 Winner vs. G8 Winner
4 p.m.- G11- G10 Winner vs. G9 Loser
 
FRIDAY, MAY 10
12 p.m.- G12- Championship- G9 Winner vs. G11 Winner