McNeese (16-9, 0-0 SLC) at Incarnate Word (9-10-1, 1-2 SLC)
Friday, March 17 (5 p.m. DH/ESPN+)
Saturday, March 18 (1 p.m./ESPN+)
 
LAKE CHARLES- McNeese softball will begin defense of its 2022 Southland Conference regular season title when the Cowgirls travel to San Antonio, Texas for a three-game series at Incarnate Word.  The series will begin with a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Friday with the final game set for 1 p.m. on Saturday.  All three games are scheduled to broadcast on ESPN+.
 
McNeese (16-9), the preseason favorite to repeat as champions enters the weekend leading the nation in double plays per game (0.76). The Cowgirls turned their 19^th of the season in its 9-1, run-rule win over Houston on Wednesday.
 
Chloe Gomez continues to lead the Cowgirls at the plate with a .329 average, 23 hits, and six doubles.  Alayis Seneca is batting .317, is second on the team with 20 hits, and is tied for a team high seven stolen bases.
 
In the circle, Whitney Tate leads the staff in wins (7-1), a 1.58 ERA, 40 strikeouts, three shutouts in 62.0 innings.
 
Ashley Vallejo is 4-7 on the year with a 3.86 ERA in 49 innings along with 33 strikeouts while freshman Lindsay Davis is 3-1 with a 2.86 ERA with 16 strikeouts in 29.1 innings.  Davis is coming off the win in relief against Houston on Wednesday.  Shaelyn Sanders, who has appeared in five games is 2-0 with a 1.68 ERA in 16.2 innings and freshman Ryann Schexnayder is looking for her first collegiate win having appeared in seven-game with six strikeouts.
 
UIW (9-10-1, 1-2 SLC), who picked to finish eighth in the preseason poll, got a head start on the Cowgirls as far as conference play is concerned.  The Cardinals are 1-2 in league play after opening conference action last weekend at Nicholls.  UIW opened the series with a 4-2 win but dropped the next two by the scores of 10-2 (5 inn.) and 3-0. 
 
The Cardinals have five players batting over .300 with Kendall McGary leading the way with a .340 average and 11 RBI.  Giselle Villarreal has a team high 21 hits while Baylee Lemons and Ryleigh Mata have 20 apiece.
 
Annie Gunther, Aaliyah Garcia, Madison Floyd, and Samantha Portillo have done the bulk of the pitching for the Cardinals.  Gunther is 41 with a 2.00 ERA in 21.0 innings.  Garcia is 3-3 on the season with a 2.53 ERA and a team high 38 strikeouts, Floyd is 1-4 with a 3.98 ERA and 25 strikeouts while Portillo is 1-1 with a 4.99 ERA and 23 strikeouts.