McNeese downs Prairie View, 4-1, to end midweek slate

LAKE CHARLES – After surrendering a first inning run, the McNeese Cowboys scored four unanswered, including three in the seventh inning, to defeat Prairie View 4-1 in the team’s final mid-week game of the season.

A two-run double by Nate Fisbeck put the Cowboys on top in the seventh, then an RBI sacrifice fly by Carson Maxwell completed the game-winning inning.

The Panthers (17-33, 9-14 SWAC) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first after hitting a lead-off triple and then bringing him home on an RBI groundout to short.

McNeese (27-22, 12-12 SLC) responded in the fourth with one run of their own to tie the game.

Bryan King (4-1) got the start for the Cowboys on Wednesday night for his second start of the year. King finished the night with 3.0 inning pitched, gave up one run on two hits, one walk, struck out three and got the no decision.

After King’s three innings, the Cowboys bullpen would be masterful, throwing four combined arms for the final six innings. The McNeese bullpen combined for only two hits, zero runs allowed, and six strikeouts.

In the seventh, the Cowboys offense came alive with back-to-back single from Jake Dickerson, who pitch-hit for Jacob Stracner, and Dustin Duhon. Freshman Payton Harden then drew a walk on a nine pitch at bat to load the bases. That’s when Fisbeck provided the clutch two-run double to the left field wall to give the Cowboys the lead.

McNeese tacked on one more insurance run in the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field by Carson Maxwell to bring the score to its final 4-1.

Cayne Ueckert was credited with his second win on the year and Aidan Anderson struck out the side in the top of the ninth to earn his seventh save on the season.

McNeese will be back on the field Friday night in a crucial weekend Southland Conference series against the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders, who only sit half a game behind the Cowboys in the conference standings. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. in Joe Miller Ballpark.

KEY INNINGS

1st | Prairie View scored the game’s first run after leading the game off with a triple in the right center field gap and a RBI groundout to take a 1-0 lead.

4th | In the bottom of the inning, the Cowboys scored their first run of the game. Clayton Rasbeary lead off with a single to right field, make it to second on a errored pick off attempt, and then to third on a errored through to first on a Shane Selman ground ball. Now with a man on first and third, Jake Cochran stepped up to the plate and hit an RBI single through the right side to tie the game up at 1-1 after the fourth.

7th | In the seventh, Jake Dickerson lead the inning off with a single up the middle on the first pitch he saw, followed by a single by Dustin Duhon, and a drawn walk by Payton Harden to load the bases. Two batters later, Nate Fisbeck hit a two RBI-double down the left field line to claim the Cowboys first lead. Rasbeary then drew a walk to load the bases for Carson Maxwell. Maxwell then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Harden for a 4-1 lead after the seventh.

MCNEESE NOTES

Offense:

The Cowboys were led offensively by Nate Fisbeck, he finished 1-for-3 from the plate with one double, and two RBI’s.

Jake Cochran also had a good night, going 2-for-4 from the plate including two singles and an RBI.

Pitching:

Senior right-handed pitcher Bryan King got the start for the Cowboys in Wednesday’s game. King finished with 1.0 IP, gave up one run on only two hits, strikeout three, and got the no decision.

Jonathan Ellison relieved King to begin the fourth inning. Ellison finished with 3.0 IP, only two hits surrendered, no runs, one walk, and two strikeouts.

Cayne Ueckert, Peyton McLemore, and Aidan Anderson combined to pitch the final three innings. They finished with a combined zero hits allowed, no runs, no walks, and four strikeouts.

Ueckert was credited with the win, his second, and Anderson the save, his seventh.

ON DECK
The Cowboys will be at home for their last home series when they host Corpus Christi in a three-game conference series this weekend starting on Friday and ending on Sunday. After the Islanders, the Cowboys will travel to Houston Baptist for its final three games of the year on May 17-19.

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