LAKE CHARLES – Behind a strong performance from junior right hander
Bryce Kingsley and the hot bats of a few newcomers, the McNeese baseball team clinched the opening weekend series against Arkansas-Pine Bluff with an 8-4 final score on Saturday at Cowboy Diamond.
The Cowboys will look to sweep the series on Sunday when they host UAPB in the finale that is slated to begin at 1 o'clock.
Kingsley picked up his first win of the season after having tossed six innings and allowed only three earned runs, and struck out six.
"I thought Bryce (Kingsley) was outstanding for us today," said head coach
Justin Hill. "He set the tone for our squad and pitched with the lead the entire time so he was a huge factor in our win today."
McNeese (2-0) managed eight runs on 11 hits, including two home runs, while limiting the Lions (0-2) to four runs on four hits and dropping their record to 0-2 to start the season.
"Top to bottom offensively, I thought we put good bats together all day long," said Hill. "Whether we showed for it, the guys were able to battle through and put pressure on the opposition. We took advantage of the wind blowing out today and had consistent at-bats. Overall, we were able to put at-bats together consistently and had the right situations to take advantage of.
Eight of McNeese's hits came from newcomers in the lineup including three who made their first collegiate start on Saturday. Junior
Connor Crane continued to impress the crowd on Saturday as he belted out three hits that included a home run and a double as well as an RBI. Junior transfers
Lewis Guilbeau and Garrett LaRosa as well as freshmen
Bryce Packard started in their first games for the Pokes and did not disappoint as the trio combined for five hits.
Matt Gallier also delivered a moon shot, while Crane and freshman
Lewis Guilbeau added doubles in the victory for the Cowboys.
The Pokes jumped out to an early lead in the first frame after Crane belted a two-out dinger over the left field. In the next inning, Gallier sent a missile in almost the exact location as Crane produced his home run. The homer scored two runs to give McNeese the 3-0 advantage.
Facing a 4-0 deficit, UAPB responded in the top of the fourth inning and scored two runs to cut the lead in half.
McNeese responded with two runs of its own in the bottom frame as senior
Connor Lloyd's ground out to shortstop allowed catcher
Cameron Toole to cross the dish while freshman
Bryce Packard took advantage of a Lions' wild pitch to up the ante at 6-2.
Both teams traded runs in the fifth inning that was highlighted by an RBI-single from Toole to score Garret LaRosa form third. Toole batted 1-for-1 on the night with a run scored and an RBI.
The McNeese bullpen came into play again in Saturday's contest when senior
Cory LaPeze took the mound in the seventh inning to relieve Kingsley. LaPeze was credited with his fourth career save after having allowed no hits and no runs to score and struck out two batters in the last three frames.
UAPB delivered its second home run of the game in the sixth inning but could not catch up to McNeese who tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning on a wild pitch that scored Gallier.
McNeese 8, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 4 (Feb 14, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.)----------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkansas-Pine Bluff. 000 211 000 - 4 4 1 (0-2)
McNeese............. 121 210 10X - 8 11 1 (2-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Arkansas-Pine Bluff - BAHN,Charles; MEDINA,Humberto(4); HENSON,Skyler(6);
DAVIS,Andre(7); RAMOS,Ciji(8) and MUNOZ,Gabe. McNeese - Kingsley, Bryce; Lapeze, Cory(7) and
Toole, Cameron.
Win-Kingsley, Bryce(1-0) Save-Lapeze, Cory(1) Loss-BAHN,Charles(0-1) T-2:34 A-707
HR UAPB - MUNOZ,Gabe (1); FIGUEROA,Jerimiah (1).
HR MCN - Crane, Connor (1); Gallier, Matt (1).
BAHN,Charles faced 2 batters in the 4th.
