LAKE CHARLES – It was missed opportunities that doomed the McNeese baseball team in its Southland Conference opener as the Pokes were edged by Houston Baptist, 3-2, Friday night at Cowboy Diamond.
 
McNeese (6-6, 0-1 SLC) left runners stranded in scoring position four different times throughout the ballgame, including a runner left on second in the first inning and a runner on third in the second frame. In total, the Pokes left eight runners grounded on the base paths.
 
"I thought that Kaleb Fontenot was really good tonight and I think what happened was that we had three opportunities to score without the benefit of a hit," said head coach Justin Hill. "We just didn't get the job done. When we lead off with a double in the first and are not able to move the guy over along with the stranded runner in the second, it allows their (HBU) Friday night guy to get comfortable. We let him off the hook and he settled in and was tough tonight."
 
Despite the loss, Fontenot (1-2) was strong in his appearance, tossing 7.2 innings and gave up just one earned run off of four hits for another quality start. He struck out seven batters in the process and allowed just one walk.
 
Houston Baptist (8-5, 1-0 SLC) had a strong night on the mound as starter Addison Russ picked up his third win on the year after having worked eight innings for the Huskies and surrendered two runs and six hits. He fanned nine batters on the night.
 
Freshman Shane Selman led off with his third double of the season in the first inning while senior Lewis Guilbeau laced his first double of the year in the next frame. He was also stranded at third base.
 
Each team scratched across a run in the sixth inning as HBU struck first with an RBI-single followed by a Joe Provenzano's first triple on the year deep into right field that drove in the tying run. Provenzano and Lewis Guilbeau each led the McNeese offense with two hits and an RBI in the contest.
 
The Huskies went up by two in the eighth inning that was sparked by a McNeese error and led to three HBU hits and two runs on a pair of RBI-singles.
 
"That error was big and when you look at it, that was a situation that came up but once we didn't execute early with those three opportunities, it allows them to breathe life into their team," said Hill. "We just didn't execute when we needed to tonight."
 
The Cowboys mounted a rally in the bottom side of the frame as Guilbeau sent a two out single into right field that cut the lead to one run but it was the two runners left stranded in scoring position that finished off the league opener.
 
The two squads will be back in action on Saturday when they meet in game two of the conference series with first pitch slated for a 3 p.m. start.
 
Houston Baptist 3, McNeese 2 (Mar 11, 2016 at Lake Charles, La.)
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Houston Baptist..... 000 001 020  -  3  7  0      (9-5, 1-0)
McNeese............. 000 001 010  -  2  6  1      (6-6, 0-1)
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Pitchers: Houston Baptist - Russ, Addison; Zarosky, Dylan(9) and Thomas, Blake. McNeese -
Fontenot, Kaleb; Fontenot, Trent(8) and Toole, Cameron.
Win-Russ, Addison(3-0)  Save-Zarosky, Dylan(4)  Loss-Fontenot, Kaleb(1-2)  T-2:42  A-639
Weather: 72; P. Sunny; Wind: ESE 4