Cowboys drop Lake Area Classic finale to Texas State in extras

LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese Cowboy baseball team dropped Sunday’s game against Texas State 5-3 in 11 innings in the Lake Area Classic finale for their third straight loss.

After neither team scored a run after the third inning, the Cowboys would come back and tie the game in the bottom of the ninth before losing in extras.

With the decision, the Cowboys move to 3-4 on the season, while the Bobcats to improve to 5-2.

Cowboys will be back on the field on Tuesday night to take on the Alcorn State Braves for their first none tournament home game at 6 p.m. in Joe Miller Ballpark.

KEY INNINGS
2nd | The Bobcats would take a 1-0 lead after back-to-back doubles to lead off the inning. In the bottom half, the Cowboys would take no time to respond. Senior third-baseman Carson Maxwell lead off the inning with a homerun to right-field for his second on the season and tie the game up at 1-1. Later in the inning, freshman Schuyler Thibodaux would get his first collegiate and McNeese hit in his first career at bat.

3rd | In the top half of the inning, the Bobcats scored two runs to retake the lead 3-1. The Cowboys would respond once again in the bottom half, scoring one run to make it 3-2. Freshman left-fielder Payton Harden lead the inning off with a single through the right side of the infield, advanced to third from a double to left by Clayton Rasbeary, and scored after a single up the middle by Maxwell for his second RBI of the game.

9th | After holding the Bobcats scoreless for the final six innings, the Cowboys would score after back-to-back drawn walks from Jake Dickerson and Jake Cochran and a Reid Bourque game tying RBI with a single down the left-field line to force the game into extras.

11th | The Bobcats would take the lead after scoring two runs in the top half for a 5-3 lead and the final runs of the game.

MCNEESE NOTES
Offense:
• Carson Maxwell led McNeese with four hits going 4-for-5, with a home run, double, one run, and two RBI’s
• Reid Bourque went 3-for-5 with a stolen base and an RBI.

Pitching:
• Senior right-handed pitcher Cayne Ueckert got the start for the Cowboys, he pitched 6.0 innings, gave up only three runs, fanned eight batters, and got the no decision.
• Peyton McLemore came in as relief to start the seventh inning, he finished with one hit surrendered, and one strikeout.
• Brody Strahan and Aidan Anderson would pitch in the eighth. Strahan faced two batters giving up a walk and a sacrifice bunt. While Anderson threw a one pitch double play to get out the inning after an intentional walk.
• Anderson (1-1) would finish out the game for the Cowboys, for a total of 3.2 innings pitched including a huge strikeout and flyout with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth. He would be credited the loss for his first of the season after surrendering two earned runs on five hits, four walks, and one strikeout.

ON DECK
The Cowboys will take on Alcorn State on Tuesday at home in Joe Miller Ballpark before hosting Nicholls and Holy Cross in the Mardi Gras Classic.

STAY CONNECTED
Follow McNeese Baseball on Twitter at @McNeeseBaseball and “Like” McNeese Baseball on Facebook.