McNeese drops finale to UTSA, 14-3

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese had a golden opportunity for a big fourth inning when trailing 1-0 against UTSA in Sunday’s series finale, but like it has for the entire weekend, the offense couldn’t get the timely hits when the Cowboys loaded the bases with no outs and only got one run out of it.

UTSA followed with 13 runs in the last five innings to capture a 14-3 win over McNeese and sweep the weekend series from the Cowboys.

The loss dropped McNeese to 2-9 on the season while the Roadrunners improved to 5-5.

“I’m not sure if that was the turning point, but that definitely jumped started it,” said head coach Justin Hill.

Trailing 1-0 going into the bottom of the fourth, McNeese got a lead-off double from Jacob Stracner, a single by Joe Provenzano, and a Brett Whelton walk to load the bases. Jake Cochran then hit a bloop single to left field to score Stracner and tie the game up at 1-1 with still no outs.

After a pitching change for UTSA, Mitchell Rogers lined out to shortstop and Carson Maxwell hit into a 643 double play as the Roadrunners escaped with allowing just one run.

UTSA added a run in the fifth to go up 2-1 but McNeese rallied back to tie it on a RBI single by Provenzano to score Duhon.

But in the sixth, the gates opened up for the Roadrunners who scored three runs on two hits and an error to make it a 5-2 lead, then in the seventh, UTSA added five more runs and four more in the ninth.

McNeese got a RBI single from Reid Bourque to score Welles Cooley in the bottom of the ninth to end the scoring.

Cowboys’ starting pitcher Cayne Ueckert (1-2) took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits in 5.1 innings. Five other pitchers combined to allow 10 runs on 12 hits. UTSA’s Palmer Wenzel (1-1) picked up the win in relief effort with two innings pitched.

The Cowboys, who played without leading hitter Shane Selman due to an injury he suffered in Saturday’s game, were led at the plate by Provenzano who picked up three hits and a RBI and Stracner added two hits.

McNeese will return to action on Wednesday when it visits Houston then will be back home on the weekend when it begins Southland Conference play against Central Arkansas.