Bearkats open league actions versus McNeese
3/7/2014 7:43:00 AM | Softball
The Sam Houston softball team opens its Southland Conference schedule this weekend against the defending league champion McNeese State.
The Kats and the Cowgirls are scheduled for an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday and a 1 p.m. single game Sunday at the Bearkat Softball Complex.
McNeese has the top non-conference record in the Southland this season. Picked to finish first in the Southland coaches' preseason poll, the Cowgirls are off to a 12-7 start than includes wins over No. 21 Alabama-Birmingham, No. 8 Texas A&M and No. 9 Alabama.
Sam Houston is 7-8 in pre-Southland action.
Four Bearkat starters are leading the Kats at the plate with junior shortstop Tayler Gray hitting .451, senior outfielder Cecilia Castillo .395, second baseman Alyssa Coggins .324 and sophomore catcher Tiffany Castillo .304.
Haley Baros has been strong in the circle with a 3-3 record and 19 strikeouts. Coggins and Baros took weekly honors as Southland Conference hitter and pitcher of the week, respectively, last Tuesday.
The Cowgirls will enter the weekend on a three game winning streak and have won six of their last eight games.
Junior outfielder Lauren Langner leads the Cowgirls with a .387 batting average, 24 hits and seven doubles. Junior catcher Ashley Modzelewski has a team hit five home runs, 17 RBI and a .597 slugging percent.
Sophomore pitcher Jamie Allred who has won her last three games is the leader in the circle with a 7-3 record. Allred also leads the team with a 2.24 ERA, 68.2 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts.
