GAME DETAILS
Date: Thursday, Feb. 15
Opponent: Baylor Bears
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles, La.  
Venue: Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond
ESPN+
Live Stats
 
 
COWGIRL CHALLENGE (Feb. 16-18)
GAME DETAILS
Date: Friday, Feb. 16
Opponent: Oklahoma
Time: 6 p.m.
Location: Lake Charles, La. 
Venue: Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond
ESPN+
Live Stats
 
GAME DETAILS
Date: Saturday, Feb. 17
Opponent: Central Arkansas (4 p.m.); Oklahoma (6:30 p.m.)
Location: Lake Charles, La. 
Venue: Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond
ESPN+ (Oklahoma Game)
Live Stats (Both Games)
 
GAME DETAILS
Date: Sunday, Feb. 18
Opponent: Lamar (1:30 p.m.)
Location: Lake Charles, La. 
Venue: Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond
Live Stats
 
LAKE CHARLES – It's a big week for McNeese State University and especially McNeese softball as the Cowgirls will welcome the three-time reigning National Champion Oklahoma Sooners for its Cowgirl Challenge this weekend.
But first, the Cowgirls will face 24^th ranked Baylor at 6 p.m. Thursday in a game that will broadcast on ESPN+.
McNeese (4-1) will enter this week's games on a four-game winning streak.  The Cowgirls opened the season with a 5-2 loss to Cal last Thursday before winning all four games at its Cowgirl Classic last weekend.
Baylor (0-2) opened its season with two home losses against then No. 2 Tennessee
No. 1 Oklahoma (4-0) picked up its wins over Utah Valley, No. 9/11 Duke, No. 10 Washington, and Long Beach State at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge last weekend. The Sooners enter the weekend having outscored its opponents 31-6.
Central Arkansas is 1-4 following its opening weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic with its losses coming against Notre Dame, North Carolina Central, Kansas, and South Alabama.  The Bears' lone win was a 4-1 win over St. John's.
Lamar will be making its second straight weekend trip to Lake Charles, having taken part in last weekend's Cowgirl Classic.  The Cardinals (2-2) picked up both its wins against Tarleton State and Tennessee State while both its losses were also against Tarleton State and Tennessee State.

McNeese Notes
• It's the second of three consecutive tournaments the Cowgirls will host
• Coming off a season opening 4-1 record including a 4-0 record at its Cowgirl Classic
• Opened the season with a 5-2 loss to Cal last Thursday then went on to win its next four games
• Of the four wins at the Cowgirl Classic, three were run-rule wins
• McNeese is the Southland Conference preseason favorites for the third straight year, received 16 out of a possible 18 first place votes. 
• Placed a league high eight on the preseason All-SLC team
• Will open the season with 14 consecutive home games along with three home tournaments
• The Sooners are the first No. 1 ranked team McNeese has ever hosted
• McNeese has played a No. 1 ranked team but has never hosted a No. 1 ranked team
• McNeese has defeated a No. 1 team once, Arizona State 3-1 in 2012
• Eight teams on the schedule advanced to the 2023 NCAA Tournament (Cal, Baylor, Oklahoma, Central Arkansas, San Diego St., LSU, UL-Lafayette, Florida State)
• Four teams advanced to the Super Regionals last season (Oklahoma, UL-Lafayette, Florida St., San Diego St.)
• Two teams advanced to the College World Series (Oklahoma, Florida St.)
• Return 17 letterwinners including eight position starters from the 2023 season.
• Return four pitchers from 2023
• Have nine upper classmen including five seniors (Pitchers Ashley Vallejo and Shaelyn Sanders, catchers Chloe Gomez and Emily Phillips, and second baseman Mariana Torres).
 
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE OPPONENTS
#24 BAYLOR
• Ranked 24th
• are 0-2 after two losses to then No. 2 Tennessee last weekend in Waco
• Its the 21st meeting between the two teams, Baylor leads the series 16-4
• Last played a three-game series in Waco in 2022
• First meeting in Lake Charles since 2021, Baylor won 3-2 in nine innings
•  Former Cowgirl player and coach Dani Price is a member of the Baylor staff, serving as the Director of Softball Operations

#1 OKLAHOMA
• Three time defending National Champs
• No. 1 ranked team in the nation
• Is 4-0 after its opening weekend at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge last weekend.
• Have outscored their opponents 31-6 to open the season
• Fifth meeting against the Sooners, Sooners lead the series 4-0
• Last met in 2022 at the Houston Classic.  OU won both games by the run-rule (15-1, 11-0)
• Both teams face each other in Norman, OK in 2019 and in a neutral game in Baton Rouge during the 2015 season 
 
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
• are 1-4 following its open season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic
• Its win was a 5-4 win over St. John's
• McNeese leads the series 30-15 and has won three of the last four meetings
 
LAMAR
• Are 2-2 on the season following its play at the Cowgirl Classic last weekend
• Sunday's game will NOT be considered a conference game
• McNeese leads the series 30-2 and have won the last 17 straight games against the Cardinals
 

COWGIRL CHALLENGE (Feb. 16-18)
FRIDAY, FEB. 16
1 p.m.              Lamar vs. Central Arkansas
3:30 p.m.         Central Arkansas vs. Oklahoma
6 p.m.              Oklahoma vs. McNeese
 
SATURDAY, FEB. 17
11 a.m.             Lamar vs. Central Arkansas
1:30 p.m.         Lamar vs. Oklahoma
4 p.m.              Central Arkansas vs. McNeese
6:30 p.m.         Oklahoma vs. McNeese        
 
SUNDAY, FEB. 18
11 a.m.             Central Arkansas vs. Oklahoma
1:30 p.m.         Lamar vs. McNeese
 
Home team in BOLD
 
 TICKET PRICES
Season Tickets

General Admission	$100
Reserved Chairback (Sections A, B, D, E) *	$125
Covered Reserved Chairback (Section C) *	$175

Tournament Packages
Weekend Pass- General Admission ($35)
Weekend Pass- Reserved ($50)
Single Day Ticket- General Admission ($15)
Single Day Ticket – Group General Admission ($10)

Children 12 & younger are free but require a ticket to enter. Please call 337-562-4678 to request kid's tickets. This only applies to general admission. If you purchased reserved seats, you will need to buy a full priced ticket for your child.

The McNeese Ticket Office is utilizing cashless services. We will not accept cash at the ticket office or on game day for season or single game tickets.
All card types and checks are accepted (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express). We do not accept Apple/Google pay.
For more information on tickets click HERE
 

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