PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University softball program has won 25+ ballgames in each of the past two seasons since joining the Red River Athletic Conference and are primed for its best campaign yet, ending the year with the top eight squads descending upon Wildcat Park for the league championship.
Head Coach Barry Roberts and the Wildcats open the year by hosting the Louisiana Christian Invitational over at Champions Sportsplex in Alexandria with their two opponents being Central Christian (Kansas) on February 2 at 4 p.m. followed by Dillard at 3 p.m. the next afternoon.
The Orange and Blue will head right back to the same location the following weekend to take part in the LSU Alexandria General Showdown for a trio of matchups vs. McPherson (February 9, 4:30 p.m.), Cottey (February 10, 11 a.m.), and Texas Wesleyan (February 10, 1 p.m.).
Next, LCU will spend its winter break in the remote wilderness of Northeast Arkansas at Crowley's Ridge (February 12) and Williams Baptist (February 13) for a pair of doubleheaders.
The women will then participate in one of the biggest softball tournaments in the country from February 16-17; the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Georgia; where it will tussle with teams from California (Jessup), Kentucky (Kentucky Christian), Florida (Webber International) as well as the locally based Truett McConnell.
The Cats begin Red River Athletic Conference action on February 24 in Tyler at Texas College before finally getting to play in front of the Wildcats faithful on-campus when the Xavier (Louisiana) Gold Nuggets come to town on February 27.
Wrapping up the weekend will be a short trip down to Baton Rouge for the March Mambo hosted by Southern University where LCU will face the host Lady Jags twice in addition to the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
A preseason top-25 adversary awaits next on the docket in the form of #23 William Carey as Coach Roberts' bunch heads to Hub City for a March 6 showdown before returning to "The Hill" as both Huston-Tillotson (March 8) and Houston-Victoria (March 9) invade Pineville.
After that, the Pioneers from CRC returns the favor by coming to campus for a Wednesday matinee on March 13 before returning to conference play on Friday at Texas A&M-Texarkana.
The 23rd-ranked William Carey Crusaders make the home-and-home series complete on March 19 before a critical weekend unfolds over in San Antonio where the Wildcats will battle #7 Our Lady of the Lake and Texas A&M-San Antonio on back-to-back days.
Jarvis Christian completes the Texas three-step road trip on Thursday, before the team hosts its longest homestand of the year from April 2 to April 13 beginning with the Red River Rivalry on the second, the Southwest (New Mexico) Mustangs sandwiched in on April 6, and finally Senior Day versus Texas College on the 13th at 1/3 p.m.
Two more RRAC road doubleheaders are on tap before the home finale against JCU on April 23 as the Orange and Blue head over to LSUA on April 16 before wrapping up the road slate in the Big Easy on April 20 at XULA.
The week that this program has been waiting for finally arrives as the best of the best arrive in Pineville from May 4 to May 7 for the Red River Tournament in hopes of lifting the trophy high into the Central Louisiana sky.
To view the 2024 softball schedule in its entirety, click here.
Follow the softball program on Facebook (@LouisianaChristianSoftball), Twitter/X (@LCU_Sftball) and Instagram (@LCWildcatsSoftball).
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