Cowboys take opener tournament over Demons, clinch 30th victory

HAMMOND, La. – Elliot Hebert’s momentum-building leadoff triple in the second inning Wednesday helped propel McNeese Baseball over Northwestern State 10-5 at Pat Kenelly Diamond to advance in the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament.

The Cowboys earned their 30th victory of the season to improve to 30-25, 11-13 SLC on the season while the Demons fell to 22-32, 11-13 SLC.

Hebert, a senior, led off the second inning with a triple to kickstart a seven-run top frame for the Cowboys that ultimately clinched the game. He came home the next play on an RBI single by redshirt sophomore Braley Hollins to ensure the early 1-0 lead before the Pokes made their way through the lineup. Hebert finished 3-for-5 in the performance with two RBIs and two runs scored.

The seven runs scored in the second were the most by the Cowboys in the 2024 campaign after posting six-run innings earlier in the season. McNeese plated an insurance run in the seventh with two more in the ninth to cap it off.

“We needed a win today as you want to get into the 1-0 game,” said head coach Justin Hill. “Zach Voss gave us a great start against a really good offensive team and we knew how good they were. Our guys did a really good job in a big inning and were able to hang onto it.”

Hill earned his ninth 30+ win season for the Cowboys in the victory which also marked the second straight year the Pokes have led off the SLC Tournament with a victory.

Senior Zach Voss made the start on the mound for the Cowboys, throwing through six innings into the seventh while only permitting four hits en route to his second victory. He struck out one batter in the performance as redshirt senior Ty Abraham led the team in the category with three.

McNeese will play eighth-seed UIW in the winners’ bracket at 4 p.m. Thursday at Pat Kenelly Diamond. Northwestern State faces No. 1 Lamar in a losers’ bracket matchup Thursday at 9 a.m.

McNeese 10, Northwestern State 5
McNeese 070 000 102 – 10 11 0
NSU 020 000 001 – 5 7 3
W – Zach Voss (2-5). L – Tyler Bryan (1-3). 2B – McN, Braley Hollins. NSU, Rocco Gump. 3B – McN, Elliot Hebert. HR – NSU, Bo Willis (8), Daniel Burroway (9). Highlights: McN, Cooper Hext 2-5, 2 RBIs; Hebert 3-5, 3B, 2 RBIs; Hollins 2-2, 2B, RBI; Chase Keeton 2-4, RBI.
Records: McNeese 30-25; Northwestern State 22-32.

McNeese Pitching Appearances
Zach Voss: 6.0 IP, 1 K, 4 H, 3 BB, 4 ER, Win
Ty Abraham: 2.0 IP, 3 K’s, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 ER
Cameron LeJeune: 1.0 IP, 1 K, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 ER

McNeese Notes
• Head Coach Justin Hill recorded his ninth 30+ win season at the helm of the Cowboys.
• The seven runs in the second is the most in an inning for McNeese this season.
• Multi-Hit Games: Cooper Hext (22nd), Elliot Hebert (12th), Chase Keeton (10th), Braley Hollins (7th)
• Elliot Hebert extended his team-leading hitting streak to seven games.
• 46th game this season recording 6+ hits.
• McNeese evened the season series against NSU to 2-2.
• Second consecutive year the Cowboys have opened up the SLC Tournament with a victory.
• Seventh win all-time against NSU in the SLC Tournament.