McNeese rally comes up short in 13-9 loss to Houston

HOUSTON – McNeese scored the game’s first two runs here against Houston before the Cougars rolled off 13 unanswered, eight of those in the fourth inning, but the Cowboys failed to throw in the towel and rallied for seven runs in the eighth and ninth innings to come up just short by a 13-9 score.

The loss was the fourth straight suffered by Cowboys (2-10) who will next open up Southland Conference play at home against Central Arkansas on Friday at 6 to begin a three-game league series as they look to defend their conference championship.

McNeese put nine hits up on the board with catcher Andrew Bryan leading the way by going 2-for-2 at the plate with two RBI and a run scored.

Welles Cooley knocked in two runs as well while Jacob Stracner scored two runs while also knocking in one.

A total of nine pitchers took the mound for the Cowboys, a plan that was designed by head coach Justin Hill prior to the game.

Tyler Wesley started the game and threw a perfect inning with a strikeout. He was followed by Alex Goree and Chris Campbell who threw scoreless second and third innings.

With the game scoreless going to the top of the third, McNeese scored two runs on a RBI single by Reid Bourque and a RBI base knock by Brett Whelton to make it a 2-0 game.

Houston (6-6) plated eight runs in the bottom of the fourth behind seven hits and an error, then added four more runs in the fifth inning to grab a 12-2 lead. The Cougars added another run in the seventh inning before the Cowboys rallied to make it a close game.

Brody Strahan, the fourth of the nine pitchers to take the hill, took the loss after he allowed five runs on four hits.

Houston rolled up 17 hits in the game as the first six batters in the lineup collected two or more each.