Cowboys hold off Demons; clinch tournament spot

NATCHITOCHES – Ty Abraham threw a career-high 8.2 innings and allowed only two runs to lead McNeese to a 4-2 win over Northwestern State in Southland Conference baseball action on Saturday.

The victory clinched a spot in the league postseason tournament for the Cowboys, who will host the event May 23-27 at Joe Miller Ballpark.

Abraham (2-2) was fantastic on the mound, especially after giving up a run in the second inning that tied the game 1-1, and held the Demons hitless the following three innings.

McNeese (32-17, 12-11) got a first inning home run from Josh Leslie, his eighth on the year, and scored another run in the fifth to go up 2-1. But the Demons (26-22, 11-9) tied the game 2-2 in the sixth off a solo home run by Jeffrey Elkins, his 13th on the season.

Payton Harden led the eighth off with a home run to put McNeese on top 3-2, and in the ninth, Andruw Gonzales knocked in Braden Duhon to make it a 4-2 lead.

The Demons threatened in the bottom of the ninth by loading the bases with two outs when Brock Barthelemy relieved Abraham and struck out the first batter faced to save the game for the second time this season.

The Cowboys will go for the series win on Sunday at 1 while concluding their conference schedule. Bryson Hudgens is expected to get his third start of the season after returning from Tommy John surgery.