McNeese clinches series over Yale with 8-1 win

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese Baseball turned in another superb pitching performance on Saturday with starter Derrick Cherry and reliever Ty Abraham combining to hold Yale to three hits in an 8-1 win while notching the series victory.

McNeese improves to 14-5 overall and wins for the sixth straight game including 10th consecutive victory at home. Yale falls to 4-9. The Cowboys will go for their third straight weekend sweep on Sunday at 1.

Just like on Friday, Yale took an early 1-0 lead on Saturday when SS Jeff Pieratoni led-off the second inning with a home run, but the Bulldogs would manage just one more hit the rest of the game as Cherry, who improved his record to 3-0, ended his day throwing six innings allowing the one run, three hits, struck out three and walked four.

Abraham picked up his second save on the year after throwing the final three innings, allowing no runs or hits and striking out three.

Offensively, the Cowboys posted 14 hits with second baseman Brad Burckel having the big day at the plate with a 4-for-4 showing that included a triple, RBI and run scored. Cooper Hext finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored and Tré Obregon III added a 2-for-3 game.

Yale starting pitcher Colton Shaw (1-1) took the loss after he threw seven innings and gave up five runs on 11 hits, struck out seven and walked one.

SCORING:
T2 – Yale 1-0; Lead-off home run by Jeff Pierantoni.
B3 – McN 2-1; McNeese scored on a 2-out, 2-run single by Josh Leslie to put the Cowboys up 2-1.
B4 – McN 3-1; RBI single by Taylor Darden scored Braley Hollins who got on with a 1-out double.
B8 – McN 8-1; RBI single by Dean Bittner; RBI grounder by Ben David; 2 RBI singley by Cooper Hext; RBI triple by Brad Burckel.