McNeese slugs way to 11-1 win over UNO

LAKE CHARLES – Grant Rogers tossed his third complete game of the season while allowing just one unearned run while the McNeese offense exploded for 12 hits, four of those for extra bases with two home runs, as the Cowboys defeated New Orleans 11-1 in seven innings in Southland Conference baseball action on Friday night.

Rogers, who on Thursday was named to the NCAA Pitcher of the Year Watch List, improved to 9-0 on the season and became just the second pitcher in school history to start the year 9-0 joining Jared Gothreaux who achieved the feat in 2000.

He allowed seven hits, walked three and struck out six in throwing 101 pitches and lowered his ERA to 1.77 on the year in the process.

First baseman Chase Keeton had a 3-for-3 night at the plate and scored two runs. Designated hitter Tré Obregon III finished 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBIs; third baseman Taylor Darden went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored; catcher Schuyler Thibodaux added a 2-for-4 night with a double, two RBIs and a run scored; and shortstop Josh Leslie ended the night 2-for-5 with a double, RBI and run scored.

The win was the sixth in the last seven games for the Cowboys as they improve to 25-12 on the season and 7-6 in conference play. UNO fell to 21-17 overall and 6-7.

The series will continue on Saturday with a 6 p.m. start. Burrell Jones is expected to get the start on the mound.

McNeese led 2-0 after one when Obregon popped a two-run home run over the right field wall for his second dinger on the season.

After UNO scored a run in the second, McNeese got the run back on Darden’s solo shot that just cleared the left field wall.

The Cowboys opened the flood gates the next two innings, scoring eight runs on six hits. In the third inning, McNeese loaded the bases with no outs and got its first run of the inning in when Braden Duhon walked. After the next two batters struck out, Payton Harden knocked in two runs with a single to left-center to make it 6-1.

In the fourth inning, the first two batters flied out. A walk, hit-by-pitch and walk loaded the bases. Darden followed with a two-run single up the middle then Thibodaux popped a two-run double down the left field line to make it a 10-1 lead. Two batters later, Leslie doubled in Thibodaux to make it 11-1 as he improved on his league lead with his 17th double and 43rd RBI on the season.

UNO attempted to get the deficit to under 10 runs in the top of the fifth, but a perfect relay from Duhon in the right-center gap to cut-off Brad Burckel and then Thibodaux at home who did a great job of blocking the plate and getting the tag for the third out.

Notebook:
• McNeese scored nine of its 11 runs with two outs.
• Head coach Justin Hill won his 291st career game and is now just nine shy of the 300 milestone.
• The Cowboys are 10-0 when Grant Rogers makes a start on the mound.
• This was the third run-rule win for the Cowboys (10-0 in 8 innings vs. Prairie View, Mar. 11; 15-5 in 7 innings at HCU, Mar. 31; 11-1 in 7 innings vs. UNO, Apr. 21).
• McNeese is 18-6 at home this season.