UIW takes series opener over McNeese, 4-1

LAKE CHARLES- McNeese’s bats went cold against the UIW Cardinals on Friday night, falling 4-1 in the first game of a three-game Southland Conference series while managing just five hits, two of those of those for extra bases.

Starting pitcher Rhett Deaton (3-2) also had a rough beginning to his sixth start on the mound, giving up three runs in the first two innings. However, he was able to settle down and allowed no runs over his next 4.1 innings of work.

UIW (13-9, 3-4 SLC) scored a run in the first and two in the second to take a quick 3-0 lead.

McNeese (13-9, 2-2) would plate its first and only run in the fifth inning off an RBI single by senior Jacob Stracner. But a grounder into a double play with two men on ended the momentum.

The Cowboys bullpen would do all they could to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard until the ninth inning when UIW scored an unearned run off a wild pitch to stretch the lead to 4-1 and

The series will continue Saturday afternoon at 3 with the Cowboys rolling out Jonathan Ellison on the mound.

KEY INNINGS

1st | In the top of the inning, the Cardinals would score one run on one hit to take a 1-0 lead.

2nd | In the top half, the Cardinals would score on a two-run home run to take a 3-0 lead after two innings.

5th | After holding the Cardinals scoreless in the top half, the Cowboys would score their first runs in the bottom of the inning. Senior Carson Maxwell would lead off with a single through the left side of the infield, followed by a walk by freshman Payton Harden two batters later. Senior Jacob Stracner would then deliver with one out and hit an RBI-single through the left side and plate the Cowboys first run to cut the UIW lead to 3-1 after the fifth.

9th | In the top half, the Cardinals would score one run on a wild pitch to bring the score to its final 4-1.

COACH’S QUOTES

“I just don’t think we looked good from the get go. Offensively we put some good hits on the baseball but they were just too easy of outs for them.”

“They kind of kept us on our heels the whole game and that’s not where we want to be, we want to be the aggressor. The scoreboard says 4-1 but it didn’t feel like it tonight give UIW a lot of credit.”

MCNEESE NOTES
Offense: The Cowboys combined for five hits in the game, a single by Clayton Rasbeary, Carson Maxwell and Jacob Stracner; and a double from Shane Selman and Brett Whelton.

Stracner finished 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI.

Pitching:
Junior right-handed pitcher Rhett Deaton would get the start in Friday night’s game, going 6.1 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits, strikeout eight batters, and pick up the loss.

Junior Brad Kincaid would relieve Deaton in the seventh inning with one out and two men on base and get the Cowboys out of the inning. Kincaid would finish with 1.0 inning, no runs on no hits and strikeout two.

Senior Bryan King would come in to relieve Kincaid in the eighth with one out and two men on base and get out the inning with a strikeout and groundout to keep the Cardinals off the scoreboard. King would go on to finish the game with 1.2 innings pitched, one unearned run on one hit, and two strikeouts.

The three Cowboys pitchers would combine for 12 total strikeouts.

ON DECK
The Cowboys will continue their series against Incarnate Word in Joe Miller Ballpark over the weekend, second game on Saturday at 3 p.m. and the finale on Sunday at 1 p.m.

STAY CONNECTED
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