LAKE CHARLES – The McNeese State baseball team faced off against rival Lamar in a Southland Conference doubleheader on Saturday in which the Pokes used a complete game shutout to score a 2-0 victory in the first game before the Cardinals rallied for a 8-2 win in the second contest that split the series at one game each. 

Both teams are slated to meet in the series rubber match on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. 

The contest can be heard on Cajun Radio 1470-AM in Lake Charles and online at CajunRadio.com. Fans can also receive the latest updates and schedule changes by liking McNeese Sports on Facebook and by following the team on Twitter @McNeeseBaseball.

The Pokes moved to 21-15 overall and 11-6 in league play while Lamar stands at 17-17 on the year and 6-8 in conference action.

Below is a recap of both games:

Game One: McNeese State 2, Lamar 0

The Cowboys used a six hit, complete game shutout from its pitching staff that was led by an outstanding performance on the mound from starting pitcher Kaleb Fontenot.
Saturday's shutout was McNeese's first over a conference opponent since doing so against Nicholls on Mar. 24, 2012. It was also the second time this season that the Cowboys have blanked their opponent.

Fontenot (5-3) fired off 6.2 innings of quality innings and allowed no runs to score despite scattering five hits throughout the outing. The junior right-hander struck out a career-high nine batters and allowed only one walk in the process.

Sophomore reliever Collin Kober picked up his eighth save of the season after working the last inning and prevented the opposition from scoring and recorded a strikeout. 

Also aiding in the shutout were the arms of senior Tyler Erickson (0.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R) and Cole Prejean (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R).
It was the excellent play of the pitching staff as well as the Cowboy defense that left the Lamar bases loaded on two different occasions in the game. The Pokes left no opportunities for momentum as the Cardinals were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and eight total runners stranded on base.  

Senior shortstop Connor Lloyd turned in the best log of the game after recording two hits along with two RBIs. Senior Andrew Guillotte and freshman Joe Provenzano each recorded multiple-hits games along while each scored a run.

The Pokes started things off in the first inning when Lloyd's outfield single drove in the first of two RBI's on the day.

Following base-hits from Provenzano and Guillotte in the bottom of the third inning, Lloyd drop a single into left field that helped the Cowboys scrape another run across the plate and extend the McNeese lead to a 2-0 ballgame.

McNeese 2, Lamar 0 (Apr 11, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.)
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Lamar............... 000 000 000  -  0  6  0      (16-17, 5-8)
McNeese............. 101 000 00X  -  2  8  2      (21-14, 11-5)
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Pitchers: Lamar - Angelle, Chase and Provost, Brandon. McNeese - Fontenot, Kaleb;
Erickson, Tyler(7); Prejean, Cole(7); Kober, Collin(9) and Toole, Cameron.
Win-Fontenot, Kaleb(5-3)  Save-Kober, Collin(8)  Loss-Angelle, Chase(4-4)  T-2:02  A-0
Weather: 73; Sunny
Erickson, T. faced 1 batter in the 7th.

Game Two: Lamar 8, McNeese 2

The Cardinals used an all-out offensive attack in the second contest as they pounded out 12 hits, five of which occurred on extra-hit plays, and eight runs to score a series-tying victory over the Cowboys, 8-2.

Lamar's Jayson McKinley performed well on the mound with only five hits and two runs given up through 5.1 innings. Two Cardinal relievers combined to toss the last 3.2 frames and gave up just three hits and no runs.

Starting pitcher Ethan Stremmel (3-3) drew the loss despite turning in a quality performance on the bump with 6.2 innings of work and only three runs surrendered on six hits and walk. He fanned five batters throughout the session.

Connor Lloyd was the only Cowboy to turn in a multiple-hit performance in both games of the doubleheader as he batted 2-for-4. 

Junior catcher Cameron Toole provided the only scoring opportunity for the Pokes as he rocketed a two-run home run over the left field wall in the bottom of the sixth inning. The tater was Toole's second this season.

Seven different McNeese batters were able to record a hit in the game while Joe Provenzano extended his streak of consecutive games where he has reached base to a team-high 12 and now has a hit in seven straight contests.

Lamar climbed out to a three run lead before Toole's homer cut the lead back to one run. The Cardinals put the game out reach after plating five runs over the last three frames of the contest, including a three-run outing the ninth inning.

Lamar 8, McNeese 2 (Apr 11, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.)
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Lamar............... 001 020 023  -  8 12  0      (17-17, 6-8)
McNeese............. 000 002 000  -  2  8  0      (21-15, 11-6)
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Pitchers: Lamar - McKinley, Jayson; Fernandez, Danny(6); Wade, Derek(7) and Provost, Brandon.
McNeese - Stremmel, Ethan; Erickson, Tyler(7); LaPeze, Cory(8); Day, Tyler(9) and Toole, Cameron
.
Win-McKinley, Jayson(2-1)  Save-Wade, Derek(4)  Loss-Stremmel, Ethan(3-3)  T-2:15  A-684
HR MCN - Toole, Cameron (2).
Weather: 73; Sunny; ENE 5 MPH
Erickson, T. faced 1 batter in the 8th.