McNeese rally comes up short in 6-4 loss to Lamar

BEAUMONT – McNeese rallied from a 6-1 deficit with a run in the seventh and two in the eighth, then had the tying run at the plate in the ninth inning but Lamar was able to hold on to beat the Cowboys 6-4 to sweep the weekend series and close out the regular season.

Despite the loss, McNeese will continue its season next Wednesday when it opens play as the sixth-seed in the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament. The Cowboys will take on Northwestern State at 9 a.m. in the first round at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.

In Saturday’s regular season finale, McNeese (25-31, 15-15 SLC) trailed 6-1 heading into the final three frames.

In the seventh, designated hitter Lachlan Mayo led off with a walk then was pinch-ran for by Hunter Racca. Three batters later, shortstop Reid Bourque tripled in Racca to make it a 6-2 game.

The next inning, third baseman Carson Maxwell, who led the Cowboys at the plate with a 4-for-5 day, started things off with a double then advanced to third when Brett Whelton singled through the right side. The Cowboys loaded the bases with one out when Mitchell Rogers was hit by a pitch. That was followed by a two-run, pinch-hit single by Julian Gonzales to cut the Lamar lead to 6-4.

With runners on first and second, McNeese loaded the bases for the second time in the inning when Jacob Stracner hit a one-out single, but the Cowboys would leave them stranded as the next two batters flied out.

McNeese put a runner on in the ninth when Whelton drew a two-out walk but a fly out by the next batter ended the game.

Starting pitcher Bryan King (3-5) was hit for the loss after he allowed four runs on eight hits in three innings. Six relief pitchers for the Cowboys combined to throw the next five innings, allowing two runs and five hits with three strike outs.

Avery George led Lamar at the plate with a 4-for-4 showing.