LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese State baseball team completed a weekend sweep over UTSA in doubleheader action on Saturday as the Cowboys clinch the series during the first game in a 4-2 win before having to fight their way back from a two run deficit and sweep the Roadrunners, 4-3.
McNeese improved to 8-4 overall on the season and have now won four straight contests and six of the last 10 games. UTSA fell to 6-4 after being swept for the first time this season.
The Pokes' offensive performance was a showcase during the doubleheader as they delivered 26 hits through both games along with eight runs and three stolen bases.
McNeese will be back in action on Tuesday, March 3 when it travels to take on Sam Houston State in a non-conference tilt in Huntsville. First pitch is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.
Below is a recap from both of Saturday's games:
GAME ONE – McNeese State 4, UTSA 2 The Cowboys pounded out 16 hits and four runs in game one of Saturday's twin bill that served as enough to clinch the series against the Roadrunners.
Starting pitcher
Bryce Kingsley used 7.0 innings of excellent work to help secure the series and pick up his second win on the season. He gave up just one run on five hits and a walk while fanning five batters in the process.
Sophomore
Collin Kober earned the first of two saves on the day after coming into the game in relief during the ninth inning. He allowed just one hits and prevented any runs from scoring.
Senior outfielder
Andrew Guillotte delivered a solid performance at the plate, batting 4-for-5 along with an RBI and two runs scored. Perhaps, his most impressive highlight came in the eighth inning when he stole two bags on his way to taking sole possession of fourth place in the all-time stolen bases category passing Jason Alleman with 62 career swipes.
Five different Cowboys turned in multi-hit performances including junior
Billy Sommers with three hits and
Connor Crane,
James Cantu and
Matt Gallier with two hits each.
The Pokes took a three run lead over UTSA following RBI hits from Guillotte, Sommers in the second inning and Crane in the fourth frame.
McNeese tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh when Gallier knocked in a run on a single to left to give the Cowboys a 4-0 lead.
UTSA looked to make a comeback in the eighth inning using back-to-back RBI plays to cut the lead to a two run scored but were unable to capitalize any further.
McNeese 4, UTSA 2 (Feb 28, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.) (Game 1)----------------------------------------------------------------------
UTSA................ 000 000 020 - 2 7 1 (6-4)
McNeese............. 020 100 10X - 4 16 0 (7-4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UTSA - Nolan Trabanino; Aaron Burns(2); Logan Onda(4); Andre Shewcraft(8) and
John Bormann. McNeese - Kingsley, Bryce; Erickson, Tyler(8); O'Bryant, Steven(8);
Kober, Collin(9) and Toole, Cameron.
Win-Kingsley, Bryce(2-1) Save-Kober, Collin(2) Loss-Nolan Trabanino(0-2) T-2:43 A-0
Kingsley, B. faced 1 batter in the 8th.
GAME TWO – McNeese State 4, UTSA 3 McNeese found itself in an unfamiliar situation late in the second ballgame as the Cowboys were down two runs but were able to get themselves out of a jam after using a four hit, three run eighth to complete the sweep over the Roadrunners, 4-3.
UTSA scratched and scraped for three runs through the first six and a half innings to take a two run lead over the Cowboys. Up until that point, the only offense produced for McNeese was in the first inning as junior
Lewis Guilbeau drove in a run on a single through the left side and trailed the visiting squad by two runs.
However, McNeese had other plans in the bottom side of the seventh frame, as the Cowboys used a three run explosion to overcome the Roadrunners and propel them to a their first series sweep.
The scoring started with one out and a single from Sommers whose single through the left side to score freshman
Joe Provenzano and cut the lead to one run.. A few plays later, Guilbeau's two outs RBI hit through the right side drove in the tying run and knot the ball game at three runs apiece.
Following a pitching change and with two outs and runners on the corners, Cantu delivered a spectacular single into left field that allowed Crane to score the go ahead run and give McNeese a 4-3 lead.
Freshman
Austin Briggs was determined the winner after coming in to toss 2/3 innings and allowed no runs to score and no hits.
Kober was credited with his third save of the season and second of the series after tossing the final 1.2 frames and allowed just two hits and no runs.
Four batters recorded multiple hits in the game including Guillotte who batted 2-for-4 with two runs and walk along with Guilbeau who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a walk.
Guillotte added to his stolen base collection with a swipe in the first inning and now holds 63 total stolen bases in his career.
McNeese 4, UTSA 3 (Feb 28, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.) (Game 2)----------------------------------------------------------------------
UTSA................ 001 100 100 - 3 8 0 (6-5)
McNeese............. 100 000 30X - 4 10 0 (8-4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: UTSA - Cody Brannon; Patrick Herbelin(6); Nolan Savage(7); Jeremy Filipek(7) and
John Bormann. McNeese - Fontenot, Trent; Brast, Clay(7); Briggs, Austin(7); Kober, Collin(8)
and Toole, Cameron.
Win-Briggs, Austin(1-0) Save-Kober, Collin(3) Loss-Patrick Herbelin(2-1) T-2:33 A-678
Weather: 59; Partly Sunny; Wind E 9mph
SAVAGE faced 1 batter in the 7th.
