LAKE CHARLES – It wasn't one of the most beautiful finishes to a McNeese State baseball game but the Cowboys were happy with the ending results on Friday night. The Pokes were gifted a bases-loaded wild pitch from New Orleans' closer in the bottom of the 13^th inning which allowed senior outfielder Andrew Guillotte to scurry home and plate the walk-off run that propelled the Pokes to a 3-2 series clinching win over the Privateers.

With the game in jeopardy in the final frame and a fear of having to scratch out a series win the next day, The Pokes received one of the prettiest clutch RBI-hits that was delivered by junior Lewis Guilbeau that helped tie the ballgame at two runs apiece and eventually help send the game into extra innings.

The run was a momentum changer for McNeese who has struggled in its last two extra inning contests. McNeese is now 3-2 when playing extra frames this season.

"Whenever you go through some adversity, some teams can be hardened by it and become tougher while others will fold," said head coach Justin Hill. "I have seen something out of this team that shows that their expectations are to win. At one point this season they were 17-11 and not happy whereas last season we had the same record and they were happy. Rightfully so, they should have been happy. However, the culture of winning and the expectations they have this season are different. They have been getting after it."

Guilbeau's double occurred upon a two-out, two-strike count before the leftfielder launched a hit deep into left centerfield. The wall-knocker was enough for senior Connor Lloyd, who led off with a single, to race for home and slide in for the game tying run.

The McNeese pitching staff played the most vital role in the series clincher on Friday night. After allowing the Privateers only runs of the game in the fourth inning, the Pokes used four pitchers to post nine shutout innings against UNO.

Starting pitcher Trent Fontenot logged in a great five inning session and allowed only two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

The Cowboys then proved why its bullpen remains one of the best in the league as three relievers combined for eight innings and prevented no runs despite giving up just four combined hits and two walks.
Collin Kober (2-1) was credited with the victory after tossing the last inning and shutting down the Privateer offense. Cole Prejean limited UNO to only two hits in four innings of work while Cory LaPeze posted a blank log in three innings.

Combined, the McNeese bullpen has turned in a 2.62 ERA this season along with 11 saves and a 124:38 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Freshman Joe Provenzano led the entire offense with three hits on the evening. Guillotte and Guilbeau turned in two hits apiece while three other Pokes recorded a hit.

New Orleans looked to take a commanding lead early in the game with a two-run outing in the top of the fourth inning. The Cowboys cut the lead to one run in the bottom of the frame following junior Connor Crane's liftoff that sailed over the left field wall. The tater was Crane's fourth of the season.

McNeese (19-12, 9-5 SLC) will look for the series sweep on Saturday when it takes to the field for a 3 o'clock first pitch against UNO (11-19, 2-9 SLC). The game can be heard on Cajun Radio 1470-AM and on CajunRadio.com.

McNeese 3, New Orleans 2 (Apr 03, 2015 at Lake Charles, La.)
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New Orleans......... 000 200 000 000 0 -  2  7  1      (11-19, 2-9)
McNeese............. 000 100 001 000 1 -  3 10  2      (19-12, 9-5)
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Pitchers: New Orleans - Smith, Alex; Kelleher, Kevin(8); Laigast, Seth(13) and Rykaczewski, Matt
. McNeese - Fontenot, Trent; Prejean, Cole(6); LaPeze, Cory(10); Kober, Collin(13) and
Toole, Cameron; LaRosa, Garrett.
Win-Kober, Collin(2-1)  Loss-Laigast, Seth(0-1)  T-3:27  A-720
HR MCN - Crane, Connor.
Weather: 80; Partly Cloudy; SSW 10 MPH
Fontenot, T. faced 1 batter in the 6th.