Cowboys fall 4-2 to Huskies

HOUSTON – McNeese stranded 11 runners on base, seven of those in scoring position, as HCU evened the Southland Conference series after a 4-2 win over the Cowboys on Saturday.

The Cowboys (18-9, 2-3 SLC) finished with eight hits in the game with five of those coming from lead-off batter Cooper Hext (2 for 5) and No. 2 in the order Brad Burckel (3 for 4).

Starting pitcher Derrick Cherry (3-1) took his first loss of the season and was chased from the game with two outs in the second inning after he allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. Relievers Burrell Jones and Ty Abraham were great out of the bullpen, combining to allow just one unearned run and five hits in 6.1 innings.

HCU (4-21, 2-3) got a solid performance from starter Walker Zander who threw six innings and allowed two runs on six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Three Huskie pitchers out of the pen combined to throw the final three innings and allowed no runs and just two hits.

The Huskies finished with 10 hits in the game with four players getting two hits each.

The series will conclude with Sunday’s rubber-match beginning at 2 p.m.

Notebook:
• With a third-inning single, McNeese DH Tré Obregon III extended his bases reached streak to 23 consecutive games.
• With a seventh-inning walk, SS Josh Leslie extended his bases reached streak to 19 straight games.
• All eight hits in the game for the Cowboys were singles, marking the first time this season McNeese has not connected on an extra base-hit. • CF Payton Harden stole his 14th base on the season, giving him 76 in his career and moving to within 3 of the school career record of 79 held by Reid Bourque.
• HCU snapped a 5-game losing streak to the Cowboys.