Sommers_LU
Raymond Stewart
2
Lamar LU 17-18
6
Winner McNeese MCN 22-15
Lamar LU
17-18
2
Final
6
McNeese MCN
22-15
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Lamar LU 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 8 1
McNeese MCN 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 2 X 6 11 1

W: Kober, Collin (3-1) L: Oquendo, Enrique (0-2)

Game Recap: Baseball | | by Hunter Bower, Sports Information Assistant

Pokes Avoid Rain and Lamar to Clinch SLC Series, 6-2

LAKE CHARLES – It was as though the "Rain Gods" looked down on Sunday afternoon's Southland Conference series finale between the McNeese State baseball team and Lamar and favored the Cowboys who received clutch performances from junior Billy Sommers' outstanding day at the plate while reliever Collin Kober's performance on the mound shot down any chances of a comeback and helped lead his team to a 6-2 series clinching win over the Cardinals at Cowboy Diamond.
 
The win propels McNeese (22-15, 12-6 SLC) right back into the race for the regular season championship as the Cowboys now standa half a game behind league-leader Southeastern Louisiana.  The two squads will face each other in a league showdown scheduled for the upcoming weekend in Hammond.
 
With the loss, Lamar dipped down to 17-18 overall and 6-9 in conference play.
 
With two outs and a slew of thunderstorms threatening to end the game in the fourth inning, a bit of shear luck and maybe a few rain dances played into a 1-0 lead held by Lamar as Sommers struck out but was able to extend the inning by reaching base on a wild pitch and advanced all the way to third base on a fielding error.
 
On the next play, senior Lucas Quary's two out double dropped into left field abled Sommers to scrape across home plate and knot the score at one run apiece between the two squads.
 
Sommers was able to come up big again for McNeese once play resumed as he led off an offensive attack later in the game with a two-run double hit into right center that gave the Cowboys a three run lead while a sacrifice fielder's choice added up to a 4-1 score in favor of the home team.
 
Offensively, Sommers was effective for the Cowboys after batting 2-for-4 along with three runs and two RBIs. Seniors Connor Lloyd and Quary as well as junior Connor Crane each hit twice in the game while seven total Cowboys recorded a hit in the game. Crane logged in his 12th double of the season during the contest while Guillotte hit his 10th two-bagger of the year.
 
In total, the Cowboys' 11 total hits included seven extra-base hits.
 
The lead would have been difficult to maintain if it wasn't for the potent pitching of Kober (3-1) who delivered a magnificent performance on his longest outing of the season. His work on the mound through 4.2 innings allowed him to pick up the victory after surrendering only one run on just four hits along with four strikeouts.
 
On the weekend, Kober was key in helping clinch the series for McNeese as he worked a total of 5.2 innings through two appearances and allowed only one run on four hits and no walks. He struck out five on his way to a save and a win.
 
Starting pitcher Bryce Kingsley returned the weekend rotation after a few weeks on the injured list and worked 4.1 innings for the Cowboys and allowed only one run and scattered four hits. He fanned four batters in the process.
 
Lamar cut a three-run lead enjoyed by McNeese in the top of the seventh inning as Kevin Santana juiced a homer over the left field wall to make the score 4-2.
 
However, the Cowboys responded with a no-doubter of their own as Crane led off the bottom of the eighth with his sixth tater of the season. A sacrifice fly from Quary, who knocked in his second run of the day, later in the frame extended the McNeese lead to four runs that would help capture the series win.
 
The Pokes will be back in action on Tuesday, April 14, as they take on LSU-Alexandria in a mid-week contest scheduled for a 6 o'clock start at Cowboy Diamond.
 
Fans will be able to get in-game updates as well as schedule changes by liking McNeese Sports on Facebook and following the squad on Twitter @McNeeseBaseball.
 
McNeese 6, Lamar 2 (Apr 12, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Lamar............... 001 000 100  -  2  8  1      (17-18, 6-9)
McNeese............. 000 103 02X  -  6 11  1      (22-15, 12-6)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Lamar - Chapman, Collin; Farley, Joe(4); Oquendo, Enrique(4); Wade, Derek(6) and
Provost, Brandon. McNeese - Kingsley, Bryce; Kober, Collin(5) and Toole, Cameron.
Win-Kober, Collin(3-1)  Loss-Oquendo, Enrique(0-2)  T-3:07  A-524
HR LU - Santana, Kevin (5).
HR MCN - Crane, Connor (6).
Weather: 77; Mostly Cloudy; S 12 MPH
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