Cowboys drop DH at Sam Houston on Saturday

HUNTSVILLE – McNeese dropped a double-header here Saturday, falling to Sam Houston by scores of 6-2 and 6-5 (14 innings) to open up a four-game Southland Conference series.

The Cowboys fall to 18-16 overall and 12-9 in league play while Sam Houston improves to 17-16 and 13-9.

The series will conclude on Sunday with a double-header beginning at noon.

Game 1 recap:
The Bearkats jumped out to a 6-2 lead before the Cowboys got on the board with two runs in the seventh.

Leading 1-0 through four innings, Sam Houston got a two-run double by Jack Rogers then a RBI single by Trent Touchet to make it a 4-0 game. Two more runs followed in the sixth to put the Bearkats up 6-0.

In the seventh, Kade Morris led things off with an infield single and Clayton Rasbeary was hit-by-a-pitch following a couple of Cowboy strike outs. Nate Fisbeck knocked both in with a double to the left-center part of the field to cut the gap to 6-2.

Starting pitcher Bryson Hudgens (0-1) took the loss after he threw five innings and gave up four runs on six hits.

The Cowboys finished with six hits in the game by six different players. Sam Houston starter Tyler Davis (5-2) picked up the win after throwing seven innings and giving up two runs on six hits, walked three and struck out eight.

Game 2 recap:
Both teams scored a run in the first inning and the Bearkats took a 4-1 lead into the eighth when the Cowboys tied the game with three runs in the top of the inning.

Jake Dickerson got things going with a lead off single. Following was a walk to Reid Bourque and Peyton Johnson getting hit-by-a-pitch to load the bases. Julian Gonzales knocked in Dickerson with a sac fly to cut the margin to 4-2. Kade Morris then hit a RBI single and Gabe Vasquez knocked in a run on a ground out to tie the game 4-4.

In the 11th, Rasbeary hit a solo home run with two outs to put the Cowboys up 5-4 but the Bearkats tied the game in the bottom of the 11th when Colton Cowser hit a two-out, run-scoring single up the middle of Cowboy reliever Cameron Foster who took the loss after throwing 4 2/3 innings and giving up two runs but none earned.

McNeese threatened in the top of the 14th when Reid Bourque hit a one-out double to right field but would be left stranded after the next two batters grounded out.

Cowser would come up big again for the Bearkats in the bottom of the 14th after he lead off by reaching on a fielding error. He would later score the winning run on a one out, bases loaded walk-off single by Mason Schulz off reliever Hunter Reeves to end the game.

Will Dion started the game and threw 6 2/3 innings, giving up four runs and 11 hits with a walk and four strike outs. Isaac Duplechain followed with two scoreless innings and was followed by Foster and Reeves.

Rasbeary led the way at the plate with a 4 for 7 showing with a home run, two doubles, a RBI and two runs scored. Dickerson, Gonzales and Fisbeck each collected two hits.