McNeese visits for Southland opener
3/11/2016 8:46:00 AM | Softball
McNeese State visits the Bearkat Softball Complex Friday and Saturday as the Cowgirls and Sam Houston open 2016 Southland Conference action.
The pair will meet in a 6:30 p.m. single game Friday then conclude with a 3 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday afternoon.
Rolling up a 13-5 non-conference record so far this year, McNeese State was voted to finish as this year's Southland Conference runner-up in the annual preseason poll of the league's head coaches. The Cowgirls have been “road warriors,” playing each of the games so far away from Lake Charles. McNeese will be the site of the 2016 Southland Conference tournament in May.
Seven Cowgirls are batting .300 or better. Sophomore Errika Piancastelli leads the team with a .389 batting average with 21 hits including six home runs. Junior Marisa Taunton sports a .388 batting mean with 10 runs batted in and nine stolen bases.
McNeese looks to have one of the strongest staffs in the circle with a staff earned run average of 2.79. Seniors Jamie Allred and Emily Vincent have a combined 9-2 record. Allred enters the weekend with a 5-1 record while Vincent is 4-1.
Sam Houston features a young squad with nine returning letterwinners, nine true freshmen and four transfers. The Bearkats have posted a 5-12 record against a challenging schedule. The Southland coaches tabbed Sam Houston to place 10th in this year's league race.
Second baseman Dani Allen leads the team with a .400 average with 18 hits and six stolen bases. Shortstop Ashley Goetz owns a .326 average while catcher/third baseman Tiffany Castillo holds a .306 batting mean.
The Kat pitching staff continues to turn in quality play. Lindsey McLeod holds a 3-2 record in the circle while Taylor Atkinson has two victories to her credit.
The Bearkats are playing their third home game of the season. Sam Houston swept Prairie View A&M in a doubleheader 6-2 and 5-4 on February 19 in its home opener and lost to No. 21 ranked Baylor 13-4 in a single contest on Feb. 24. The Kats have posted victories over Creighton, North Texas and Central Michigan.
“We're a young team. That's not an excuse. It's a fact,” Sam Houston head coach Bob Brock. “Young teams are going to have great days and some not so great. This group has been battling every game and we're excited to start Southland play. We've been hitting the ball better of late. We need to keep our composure and eliminate the mistakes.”
