SAN ANTONIO, Texas – McNeese senior right-hander
Kaleb Fontenot had a solid day on the mound as he tossed a complete-game shutout in route to helping the Cowboys defeat Incarnate Word, 4-0, in the first of a three-game Southland Conference series in San Antonio.
Fontenot (2-2) went all nine, striking out seven and walking just three. He scattered seven hits in the game where only five of 18 runners on base advanced to second while the McNeese defense reduced any big UIW plays with three double plays in the contest.
"
Kaleb Fontenot was outstanding today," said McNeese head coach
Justin Hill. "He did a great job inducing double plays and keeping the momentum in our dugout. It was his game and he deserved to finish it."
Fontenot passed former Cowboy head coach Chad Clement for eighth place on the all-time strikeouts list during the ballgame. He now has 177 career strikeouts.
It is the first shutout by a McNeese team against an opponent since May 8th, 2015 vs. Grambling. Fontenot's first career complete shutout occurred during that contest.
With the victory, the Cowboys improved to 9-8 on the year with a 2-2 record in league play while Incarnate Word fell to 4-14 overall and 0-4 in conference action.
Sophomore
Joe Provenzano led the hitting effort for the Pokes with a 2-for-3 showing with a run and an RBI. Seven different McNeese batters recorded a hit in the game, including freshman
Shane Selman who extended his team-high hitting streak to nine games.
Junior
Todd Hinkley provided a 1-0 lead for McNeese in the opening frame with a two out double that drove in senior
Connor Crane.
Fontenot ran into a hurdle in the fourth frame with two runners on base but the senior pitcher was able to fight back and leave them stranded at first and second.
It was in the sixth inning that the Cowboys cushioned their lead as Provenzano and junior
Matt Gallier each provided RBI-singles that gave McNeese a 3-0 lead.
Senior
Lewis Guilbeau provided the insurance run in the eighth inning with an RBI hit that landed into left field. The score stretched the McNeese lead to a 4-0 run.
Fontenot continued to stay strong throughout the rest of the contest as he tired the last four innings with a combined six UIW runners stranded on the paths.
The Cardinals left 11 total runners left on base while McNeese stranded six. The Cowboys outhit UIW, 8-7 in the ballgame.
Both teams will meet again on the diamond Saturday at 3 p.m. Fans can keep up with all of the action via Live Video Stream and Live Stats at CardinalAthletics.com as well as on Twitter by following @McNeeseBaseball.
McNeese 4, Incarnate Word 0 (Mar 18, 2016 at San Antonio, TX)
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McNeese............. 100 002 010 - 4 8 3 (9-8, 2-2 SLC)
Incarnate Word...... 000 000 000 - 0 7 0 (4-14, 0-4 SLC)
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Pitchers: McNeese - Fontenot, Kaleb and Toole, Cameron. Incarnate Word - Martinez, Bernie;
Moszkowicz, Lance(6); Preiss, Austin(7); Hull, Denson(8); Hardee, Trevor(9) and Lopez, Robert.
Win-Fontenot, Kaleb(2-2) Loss-Martinez, Bernie(0-3) T-2:38 A-203
Weather: 79 and overcast
