LAKE CHARLES – Starting pitcher Ethan Stremmel and third baseman Matt Gallier played a huge part in helping the McNeese baseball team snap a seven-game Southland Conference losing skid and lock down a huge home victory as Stremmel turned in his first career complete game while Gallier knocked in a career best four-RBI to help lead the Cowboys to a 5-3 win over Central Arkansas Saturday to tie the weekend series at Joe Miller Ballpark.
 
The victory helped improve McNeese to a 25-22 overall record this season and a 14-15 mark in league play while dropping Central Arkansas to 24-24 on the year and a 13-13 conference record.
 
Stremmel (4-1) was solid during the entire game as he went the distance and allowed just three runs (two earned) to score off of six hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. His nine-inning session marked the third time this season that the Pokes have turned in a complete game with senior Kaleb Fontenot recording two.
 
The McNeese offense churned out 11 hits in the game and was led by Gallier's career day. The Lake Charles native hit three times during the game including a solo home run in the fifth inning. He drove in four runs including two in the first frame off of a two-RBI single.
 
The Cowboys have not backed down from tough situations this series having produced a .514 batting average and six RBI's with two outs in the inning.
 
Senior Lewis Guilbeau turned in another multiple hit effort Saturday with three hits along with a walk and the team's only other RBI. Ricky Ramirez also gave the Pokes a multi-hit game having batted 2-for-3 along with two walks.
 
Gallier's two-RBI hit in the first inning sustained a two-run McNeese lead for the first third of the ballgame until Guilbeau's double in the fourth and the solo shot from Gallier extended the score to a 4-0 ballgame.
 
UCA cut into the lead in the seventh inning with its second homer of the weekend as Brandon Montalvo led off with a solo tater to make it a 4-1 ballgame.
 
Gallier cushioned its lead in the bottom of the frame as Gallier singled and drove in another run to five the Pokes a four run lead.
 
The Bears scored two more runs in the eighth frame but fell victim to the pitching effort from Stremmel and watched on as the Cowboys tied the series up at 1-1.

Connor Gilmore (2-8) took the loss for Central Arkansas after having worked 6.1 innings and gave up five runs on eight hits and three walks.
 
The Bears were limited to six hit in the ballgame and left five runners on base.
 
The squads will meet again on Sunday as McNeese prepares for its Senior Day celebration prior to first pitch that is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. It is the final home game for the Cowboys.
 
Sunday's series finale will have serious postseason implications as both teams are fighting to stay alive in the conference race. The Pokes currently sit eighth and are a half a game ahead of Houston Baptist while UCA stands a spot ahead of McNeese in seventh. The top eight teams advance to the 2016 Southland Conference Tournament.
 
McNeese 5, Central Arkansas 3 (May 14, 2016 at Lake Charles, La.)
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Central Arkansas.... 000 000 120  -  3  6  0      (24-24, 13-13 SLC)
McNeese............. 200 110 10X  -  5 11  1      (25-22, 14-15 SLC)
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Pitchers: Central Arkansas - Gilmore, Connor; Beier, Derek(7); McClain, Connor(8) and
McCarty, Justin; Hancock, William. McNeese - Stremmel, Ethan and Toole, Cameron.
Win-Stremmel, Ethan(4-1)  Loss-Gilmore, Connor(2-8)  T-2:17  A-300
HR UCA - Montalvo, Brandon (3).
HR MCN - Gallier, Matt (3).
Weather: 85; Partly Cloudy; Wind: W 3