2026 Southland Conference Softball Championship Series
Who: #5 Seed Lamar
When: Thursday-Saturday, May 7-9 (6 p.m. each day)
Where: Lake Charles (Cowgirl Diamond)
TV: ESPN+ (All Games)
Ticket Info.
Tournament Central
 
 
LAKE CHARLES—  For the second straight year, McNeese will host the Southland Conference Softball Championship Series at Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond.
The best of two game series is set for May 7-9 with game times set for 6 p.m. each day.
McNeese, the No. 2 seed will host No. 5 seed Lamar. All games will stream on ESPN+.
 
McNeese (38-19) advanced to the series championship after defeating No. 7 seed Stephen F. Austin and No. 3 seed Nicholls twice last weekend during bracket play. 
 
Lamar (33-22) is making its first appearance in the Championship Series and first Southland Conference Tournament game since 2016 after winning the Hammond Bracket with a win over No. 4 Incarnate Word and two wins over No. 1 seed Southeastern.
 
The series winner will earn the right to represent the Southland Conference in the NCAA Tournament.
 
Sophomore Kassidy Chance will lead the Cowgirls into the series with a .440 batting average with 59 hits, nine doubles, two triples, 31 RBI and 40 runs scored.  Nyjah Fontenot (.364), Rylee Cloud (.342), Jada Muñoz (.323), Alexis Dibbley (.320), Corine Poncho and Maddie Weeks (.305) are all batting above .300 entering the series.
 
Maddie Taylor (16-4) and Brookelyn Taylor (13-7) enter the weekend leading the Cowgirls in the circle.  Brookelyn has a 3.22 ERA with 93 strikeouts, five saves in 124.0 innings while Maddie has a 4.15 ERA with 69 strikeouts, three saves in 116.1 innings.
 
Lamar has four players with a .300 and above average.  Isabella Flores leads the team with a .360 average, 63 hits, 17 RBI, 46 runs scored and is second on the team with eight homeruns.  In the circle, the Cardinals have relied on Reagan Smith who is 15-5 with a 3.31 ERA.  Smith has 78 strikeout, four shutouts in 137.1 innings.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, May 7
No. 2 McNeese vs. No. 5 Lamar (6 p.m.)
 
FRIDAY, MAY 8
No. 2 McNeese vs. No. 5 Lamar (6 p.m.)
 
SATURDAY, MAY 9
No. 2 McNeese vs. No. 5 (6 p.m.), If Necessary
 
McNeese Tournament Notes
• Making its league high 36th Southland Conference Tournament
• Are the tournament's No. 2 seed while Lamar is the No. 5 seed
• Enter the Championship Series with an overall 38-19 record.
• Reached the Championship Series for the second straight year with a win over No. 7 seed Stephen F. Austin and two wins over No. 3 seed Nicholls last weekend. 
• Enter the Championship Series having won 15 of its last 17 games
• McNeese holds an overall 38-4 series record against Lamar and a 28-1 home record against the Cardinals since 2013.
• McNeese has won 25 of the last 27 meetings between the two teams.
• McNeese is 3-1 against Lamar in Southland Conference Tournament play.
• The only other time the two teams have met in the SLC Tournament Championship game was in 2016.  McNeese defeated Lamar 5-2
• McNeese has missed only two tournaments (1998, 2004) when the tournament was played.
• Hosting its sixth overall SLC Tournament and second straight SLC Championship Series (2009, 2016, 2018, 2023, 2025 Bracket Play & Championship Series, 2026 Bracket Play & Championship Series).
• Have won six of the last nine, and three of the last five Southland Conference Tournaments played (2020 Covid year.- no tournament)
• Have lost only four conference tournament games since 2020, two in 2024 and two in 2025.
• Are the only team in conference history to not only three-peat as tournament champions, but to three-peat twice (2016, 2017, 2018), (2021, 2022, 2023)
• Have an overall 69-52 SLC Tournament record.
• Have won 31 of its last 37 SLC Tournament games
• Have won 17 of its last 19 SLC Tournament home games.
• Enter the Championship Series with an RPI ranking of 49
• Looking to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023
 
SLC Tournament History Under Head Coach Landreneau
• Making its ninth SLC Tournament appearance under head coach James Landreneau.
• Have won a league high nine SLC Tournament titles, five under head coach James Landreneau (2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023).
• Have a 28-6 overall conference tournament record under head coach James Landreneau
• Are 19-4 (since 2021) in its last 23 conference tournament games under coach Landreneau.