BEAUMONT, Texas – After a four-game split to get their 2024 campaign underway, Lamar University softball returns to Lake Charles to participate in the Cowgirl Challenge this weekend. Their slate features matchups against former and current conference foes in Central Arkansas and McNeese, respectively, but the highlight of the schedule will come when they square off with three-time defending national champions Oklahoma on Saturday.
 
LAST TIME OUT
The Cardinals went 2-2 at the Cowgirl Classic last weekend winning the second matchups of two-game stints against Tarleton State and Tennessee State. The opening game of the season saw ten stranded baserunners lead to a loss, but the offense improved as the weekend went on resulting in 12-hit effort in their win on Sunday.
 
KEY STORYLINES
The Cardinals are off to their best start since 2016 and have had to look to new faces to accomplish this. Six of the nine starters in the lineup for LU in their opening game were either freshmen or transfers. They appear to have some emerging stars as 12 of the team's 17 runs this weekend were scored by new players while both wins on the mound were by freshmen making their Cardinal debuts.
 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Jayne Sepulveda made a splash in her first tournament as a Cardinal as she got the start at second base in all four games. She went 6-for-13 with a sacrifice fly, double, triple and a home run which resulted in four RBI. Shenita Tucker made a name for herself in the leadoff spot also batting 6-for-13 while adding four steals on five attempts to go with four runs.
 
On the mound, as previously mentioned, Emma Wardlaw had quite the debut weekend getting a complete game victory in her first career start and adding three innings of scoreless relief in the Cardinal win on Sunday. The first four innings of that game were from another freshman in Makayla Valle who allowed just two hits and a walk. 
 
OPPONENT INFO: Central Arkansas
Time: Friday at 1 p.m.; Saturday at 11 a.m.
Series Record: UCA 14-10 (25^th and 26^th meetings)
Last Meeting: UCA 11-2 (5/8/21)
 
LU starts the weekend with two matchups against former conference bunkmate Central Arkansas. The Bears are coming off a 45-12 season which featured an Atlantic Sun Conference Championship and a NCAA Regional Championships appearance but are off to 1-4 start this season. They had two players earn preseason conference honors with Tremere Harris being voted as ASUN Preseason Player of the Year while Kylie Griffin was named the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
 
OPPONENT INFO: Oklahoma
Time: Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Series Record: OU 1-0 (Second meeting)
Last Meeting: OU 12-2 (2/13/16)
 
The back half of the Cardinals' Saturday doubleheader sees them take on top-ranked Oklahoma who have won three consecutive national championships. The Sooners are currently on a 57-game win streak and have started this season right where they left off with a 4-0 start at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge last weekend.
 
The Sooners had seven players earn spots on the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. They have mashed eight home runs in their four wins with Alyssa Brito leading the way with three while also batting 5-for-12 with five RBI. Kasidi Pickering holds the team lead for both batting average (5-for-11) and RBI (seven).
 
OPPONENT INFO: McNeese
Time: Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Series Record: McNeese 30-2 (33^rd meeting)
Last Meeting: McNeese 12-0 (4/1/23)
 
The finale for LU in the Cowgirl Challenge will be the host team. While this may be a SLC matchup, it will not count against the conference standings but should be a preview of what is to come for both teams. After a 47-16 campaign last season that resulted in a SLC championship and NCAA Regional Championships appearance, the Cowgirls entered the season as the favorites to repeat their conference success and are off to a 4-1 start after also playing in the Cowgirl Classic last weekend.
 
The Cowgirls had a conference-high eight players named to the SLC Preseason All-Conference Teams. Corine Poncho finished last weekend with four home runs and five RBI to go with an OPS of 2.208 while Emily Phillips matched her in RBI while hitting 6-for-12.
 
QUICK NOTE
The Cowgirl Challenge has sold out for Friday and Saturday. Limited seating is still available for Sunday.