Who: Northwestern State
When: Friday, March 13 (6 p.m.); Saturday, March 14 (1 p.m./DH)
Where: Natchitoches, La. (Lady Demon Diamond)
TV: ESPN+ (all three games)
 
 
LAKE CHARLES—  McNeese softball returns to Southland Conference action this weekend when the Cowgirls travel to Natchitoches for a three-game series against Northwestern State.  The series will begin with a single game at 6 p.m. Friday.  The series will end with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.  All three games will stream on ESPN+.
 
McNeese (19-7, 3-0 SLC) hasn't played since its SLC series home opening win against Lamar last weekend.  A midweek game scheduled at La. Tech  on Wednesday was postponed due to weather.  McNeese will carry a four-game winning streak into the series.
 
NW State (12-14, 2-1 SLC) has won seven of its last nine games and are coming off a 10-0 run-rule win over Grambling on Tuesday.  The Lady Demons opened the SLC schedule by winning two out of three games at Houston Christian last weekend.  
 
McNeese enters the series ranked eighth in the nation in walks with 122 on the season.  Maddie Taylor has drawn a team high 23 walks on the season.
 
Nyjah Fontenot continues to lead the Cowgirls on offense with a .412 batting average, 35 hits, and is second on the team with 24 RBI.
 
Rylee Cloud is second with a .400 batting average, 30 hits and has a team high 26 RBI.  Fontenot, Cloud, and Jada Muñoz all have five homeruns on the season.
 
In the circle, Brookelyn Taylor (7-2) leads the staff with a 2.93 ERA and 47 strikeouts.  Maddie Taylor leads the staff in wins with six (6-1).  She also has 20 strikeouts and a 4.49 ERA.
 
Kynlei Chapman is 4-3 on the season with a 4.17 ERA and nine strikeouts.
 
McNEESE NOTES
 • Coming off a Southland Conference opening series sweep over Lamar last weekend
• Enter the series with a 19-7 record
• Have won 13 of last 16 games
• Last three losses have come against Houston at home, #17 LSU at home and at Baylor
• Currently have an RPI of 16 (March 9), the highest RPI in program history
• Played 10 straight games against Power 4 opponents beginning with a home game Houston on Feb. 20 and ending with a road game at Houston on March 3, posted a 7-3 record against those P4 teams.
• Posted an 8-3 overall record against  four big conferences (Big 12, SEC, American, B1G 10)
• Have won 36 of the last 40 conference series dating back to 2021
• Of the 36 SLC series wins, 27 have been series sweeps
• McNeese's SLC record since 2021 is 102-21
• Have lost only four Southland Conference series since 2021. The losses have been to Sam Houston and Southeastern (2021), Southeastern (2023), and Lamar (2025)
• In the four series losses since 2021, only two were series sweeps- Sam Houston/2021) and Southeastern (2023).