LAKE CHARLES—Coming off its second straight week with a 4-1 record including wins over Texas A&M, South Dakota State, UAB, and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi last week, McNeese softball returns home for two games this week beginning with a 6 pm. game against South Alabama on Tuesday and a 6:30 p.m. game against UL-Monroe on Wednesday.
 
BCM will be in attendance Tuesday night to distribute free pizza to McNeese students.
 
The Cowgirls (8-2) will look to continue to improve in some areas of their game but so far, the pitching and defense have been consistent in the first two weeks of the season.
 
South Alabama (4-5) enters the game having won their last four games after opening the season with five straight losses.
 
The Jaguars lead the series 6-3 and have won three of the last four meetings. The last McNeese win over USA was a 7-1 win in Lake Charles on Feb. 28, 2017.
 
 
McNEESE NOTES
•- coming off a 4-1 record including a win at Texas A&M last Thursday and a 3-1 record at the Scrap Yard Tournament
•- also picked up wins over South Dakota State, UAB and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a non-conference game
•- will play two straight home games: South Alabama on Tuesday and UL-Monroe on Wednesday
•- will take part in the Mardi Gras Mambo this weekend in Youngsville, La. in a tournament hosted by Southeastern La.
•-fourth year head coach James Landreneau, the 2017 SLC's Coach of the Year picked up his 100th career win in the second game of the SLC series at Houston Baptist on March 29, 2019. Landreneau has won over 40 games two of his three seasons as head coach (43 wins in 2017 & 41 in 2018).
•- McNeese will play four teams ranked in the 2020 preseason polls this season (Alabama, Arizona, UL-Lafayette, LSU
 
THE COWGIRL OFFENSE
•- The Cowgirls have a .278 batting average and 30 steals in 37 attempts
•- have outscored the opponents 54-11
•- The 4^th and 6^th innings have been where the Cowgirls score their runs. They have outscored the opponent 13-1 in the 4^th inning and 16-1 in the 6^th.
•-sophomore Haylee Brinlee leads the team with a .318 batting average, eight runs scored, and is tied for a team high seven hits with Alexandria Saldivar
•- freshman Caylon Brabham had a break-out weekend as the sophomore batted .462 with six hits, four doubles, one home run, and scored four runs. Brabham leads the team with nine hits.
•- senior Lauren Brown tops the team with six stolen bases  
 
IN THE CIRCLE
•- McNeese returns four of five pitchers from last season. The only newcomer is freshman Whitney Tate
•-As a staff, the Cowgirls had a 0.62 ERA with 16 strikeouts and allowed seven walks last week.
•-They enter Tuesday's game with a 0.77 ERA, 44 strikeouts with 11 walks and 11 earned runs
•-Alexsandra Flores, Saleen Flores, Caroline Settle, and Whitney Tate all picked up one victory apiece last week.
•- Tate picked up her first career win against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and her first career save against Texas A&M
•- Saleen Flores produced the lowest ERA last week (0.58) allowing eight hits, two runs and one earned run
•- The Flores' (Alex and Saleen) both lead the Cowgirls with 2-1 records
•- Ashley Koncir has a team low 0.00 ERA followed by Alex (0.82). Saleen and Tate both have a 0.88 ERA and Caroline Settle has a 0.98 ERA.