LAKE CHARLES – Matt Stancliff’s two-out double in the third inning broke up a scoreless tie and McNeese used solid pitching from eight players to earn a 3-0 win over the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns on Tuesday at Joe Miller Ballpark.
Marcus Heusohn added a two-run single in the fifth inning as McNeese (6-1) recorded four of its five hits with two outs. Marcus Mott (1-0), the second of eight pitchers used by the Cowboys, earned the victory after tossing a hitless inning with a strikeout.
Louisiana (4-4) managed four hits in the game with Drew Markle, Kasen Bellard, Brooks Wright and Connor Cuff each collecting singles. The Ragin’ Cajuns stranded seven runners on base, including three runners in scoring position through the first two innings.
Bellard reached on an infield single in the first for Louisiana, but was stranded at second after Cowboy starter Diego Corrales got an infield grounder to end the frame. Owen Galt and Jose Torres each drew walks in the second inning and moved to third on a wild pitch before Corrales got a strikeout to end the threat.
Bryce Fontenot hit a two-out single for McNeese before Stancliff followed with an opposite-field double down the left-field line off Louisiana starter JR Tollett (1-1) for a 1-0 lead.
McNeese took advantage of three consecutive walks in the fifth before Heusohn’s single up the middle scored Fontenot and Stancliff for a 3-0 advantage.
Tollett, making his first career start for Louisiana, struck out three batters and scattered four hits in 2.2 innings. James Trimble struck out three batters in 1.2 innings for the Ragin’ Cajuns before Alex Rosario, Riley Marcotte and Matthew Holzhammer combined to pitch 3.2 innings of hitless relief with four strikeouts.
Louisiana will return to action on Wednesday when it entertains in-state opponent Southeastern Louisiana in a 6 p.m. game at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball season and single-game tickets are available for purchase online at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685). Fans can also support the baseball student athletes, and invest in the program’s future, through the Krewe Allons NIL Collective (click here).
