LAKE CHARLES – In the midst of all the Mardi Gras festivities was another celebration had by the McNeese baseball squad who registered its fourth straight victory to start the season in a 4-2 decision over Louisiana Tech on a cold and windy Tuesday afternoon at Cowboy Diamond.
The Pokes (4-0) will be back in action on Wednesday to close the series against the Bulldogs with first pitch slated for a 1 o'clock start.
The game will be featured on Cajun Radio 1470 AM in Lake Charles and online at CajunRadio.com. Bruce Merchant will provide the call for the game. Fans can keep up with in-game updates and other information by logging on to Twitter @McNeeseBaseball.
Fans will also be able to catch the game via live video and live stats by logging on to McNeeseSports.com/live. A 24-hour pass is available for $6.95 on the network while fans can also catch every game for a whole year for only $69.95.
McNeese was led by a superb hitting performance from senior catcher
Cameron Toole while the Cowboys' pitching staff did an excellent job at limiting Louisiana Tech (0-4) to only two runs which were not scored until the last inning.
Toole's bat has yet to cool down from an outstanding weekend performance as the Orlando, Florida native batted 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Through the first four games, Toole owns an .800 clip and leads the team in hits (8), doubles (4) and slugging percentage (1.200). Toole has also picked off seven trying to steal.
Freshman
Bryce Packard's only hit of the day was the one that mattered the most as his two RBO-single deep into centerfield prevented the Cowboys from a valid threat from the Bulldogs towards the end of the game.
Senior right-hander
Steven O'Bryant made his season debut on the mound for the Pokes and did not disappoint as he earned the win in a predetermined outing of four innings with only one hit and a walk given up and three strikeouts.
Senior
Cory LaPeze turned in another scoreless outing in relief after going three innings and striking out two batters in the process.
McNeese took the lead in the bottom of the third inning following an RBI-single up the middle from senior outfielder
James Cantu who scored Packard from third base.
Toole laid the groundwork for another McNeese victory in the fourth inning as his RBI-double sparked the Cowboys to drive in two more runs off of Packard's single sent deep into centerfield for a 4-0 lead.
The eighth inning consisted of a one out appearance from senior
Tyler Erickson and junior
Clay Brast who worked the rest of the frame and gave up a run on three hits.
Sophomore
Collin Kober took the mound in relief during the last inning and worked out of a jam retiring two Louisiana Tech batters on strikeouts and prevented the Bulldogs from threating extra inning play.
The shutout held until the ninth inning when the Bulldogs used an RBI-double to cut the lead in half. With the third run standing at third base, Kober recorded back-to-back strikeouts and forced a groundout to second to help the Pokes hang on for the mid-week win.
Following Wednesday's game, the Cowboys will host Bradley in a three-game weekend series at Cowboy Diamond, which begins Friday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m.
McNeese 4, Louisiana Tech 2 (Feb 17, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.)----------------------------------------------------------------------
Louisiana Tech...... 000 000 002 - 2 6 0 (0-4)
McNeese............. 001 300 00X - 4 7 0 (4-0)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Louisiana Tech - Braden Bristo; Kelby Blalock(6) and Michael Deceglie; Jacob Derouen.
McNeese - O'Bryant, Steven; LaPeze, Cory(5); Erickson, Tyler(8); Brast, Clay(8);
Kober, Collin(9) and Toole, Cameron.
Win-O'Bryant, Steven(1-0) Loss-Braden Bristo(0-1) T-2:23 A-556
Brast, C. faced 1 batter in the 9th.
