LAKE CHARLES— McNeese softball will host Ole Miss and Stephen F. Austin this weekend in its second home tournament this season, the Cowgirl Classic II beginning Friday and ending Sunday.
 
McNeese (8-3) will open tournament play with a 6 p.m. game against Stephen F. Austin (6-7) Friday night in the only game of the day.
 
Saturday's action will consist of three games beginning at Noon between Ole Miss (6-4) and SFA.  McNeese will face SFA at 2:30 p.m. and Ole Miss at 5 p.m.
 
On Sunday, the final day of the tournament, SFA and Ole Miss will start things off at 10:30 a.m. with McNeese and Ole Miss squaring off at 12:30 p.m. in the final game of the tournament.
 
McNeese has won four of its last five games including a 3-2 win over No. 12 Washington on Monday. 
 
Junior Chloe Gomez leads the Cowgirls with a .393 batting average, 11 hit, and is tied for a team high two doubles.  Gomez has picked up at least one hit in nine of the 10 games she has played in.
 
Whitney Tate (4-0) enters the weekend with a 1.66 ERA with a team high 17 strikeouts and 25.1 innings of work. 
 
 
About Stephen F. Austin (6-7)
• McNeese leads the series 21-19
• The Cowgirls have won the last three games against the Lumberjacks
• The last time the two teams met was at the 2021 SLC Tournament in Hammond. McNeese won 4-1
• The former Southland Conference member are in their second season in the WAC
• The Lumberjacks finished second in the WAC in their first season (2022) and participated in the National Invitational Softball Championship
• Enter the tournament with a 6-7 record under first year head coach Richie Bruister.  Half of the Ladyjacks' wins have come against Lafayette College
• Coming off a doubleheader split against Lamar on Tuesday
• Mackenzie Bennett leads the team with a .342 batting average and 100 RBI. Madison Nguyen has a team high 15 hits.
• Alexis Telford leads the pitching staff with three wins, a 2.86 ERA, and 35 strikeouts
 
About Ole Miss (6-4)
• Are a member of the SEC
• Enter the tournament with a 6-4 record
• The series is tied at one game apiece
• The last time the teams met was at the Troy Classic in 2016.  McNeese came away with a 2-1 win. 
• Ole Miss defeated McNeese 9-8 (8 inn.) in Oxford, Miss. in 2013
• The Rebels have two wins over North Dakota State and wins over North Carolina, Wisconsin, Liberty, and Southern Illinois
• Ole Miss has lost its last two games against Cal State Fullerton and Kansas at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge last week.
• Mikayla Allee leads the Rebels with a .385 batting average, 10 hits while Aynslie Furbush leads the pitching staff with three wins, a 1.11 ERA and 16 strikeouts.
• Makenna Kilethermes has 15 strikeouts on the season
 
Cowgirl Classic II Schedule
Friday, Feb. 24
6 p.m.- McNeese vs. Stephen F. Austin
 
Saturday, Feb. 25
12 p.m.- Ole Miss vs. Stephen F. Austin
2:30 p.m.- McNeese vs. Stephen F. Austin
5 p.m.- McNeese vs. Ole Miss
 
Sunday, Feb. 26
10:30 a.m.- Stephen F. Austin vs. Ole Miss
12:30 p.m.- McNeese vs. Ole Miss