LAKE CHARLES – McNeese's
Rhett Deaton allowed just three runs in eight innings and the Cowboy bats exploded for 12 runs on 12 hits to take down Nicholls, 12-3, and claim their third consecutive Southland Conference series victory Saturday night at Joe Miller Ballpark.
Deaton (3-0) earned the win in his sixth start of the year for McNeese allowing only two earned runs on eights hits in 8.0 innings. Sophomore
Zach Rider made his sixth appearance of the season, blanking the Colonels in the last frame with only two hits allowed. Deaton now owns a 1.66 ERA in conference action only with just four earned runs given up in 21.2 frames worked.
Nicholls' Cayden Hatcher (2-2) was charged with the loss after having worked 4.0 innings and surrendered four runs on five hits with one punch out. The Colonel's used a total of five bullpen pitchers who gave up eight runs in four frames.
Saturday's victory extended McNeese's home winning streak to 15 dating back to 2016, the longest in school history. The 13-0 home record owned by the Pokes this second ranks second best in the nation behind Louisville (16)
Junior second baseman
Joe Provenzano turned in a 3-for-4 performance that included a double, two singles, a run scored, and four runs batted in..
Robbie Podorsky, Ricky Ramriez, Jr. and
Shane Selman each hit twice in the game while Podorsky pushed his hit streak to 16 consecutive games.
Despite not collecting a hit in the game, third baseman
Matt Gallier walked three times, extending his reached base streak to 21 contests.
The Colonels struck quickly in the first following an RBI-groundout but the Cowboys responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame following RBI contributions from Ramirez, Jr. and Selman and a run scored by Provenzano on a passed ball to make it a 3-1 ballgame.
Whelton added a run in the fifth inning to make it 4-1 in favor of the Cowboys.
In the next frame, the Pokes opened up for six runs highlighted by Provenzano's three-RBI double deep to left center and Selman's lead off home run. The solo shot was Selman's third of the season. Ramirez, Jr. and Podorsky drove in the other two runs.
Nicholls managed to push two across in the seventh and eighth but McNeese responded with two of its own in the bottom eighth thanks to Selman and Ramirez, Jr.
Nicholls hit 10 times in the game but left eight stranded on the bases while the Cowboys left eight on base as well.
The two teams will meet back on the field Sunday afternoon to conclude the series with first pitch set for 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on KEZM 1310 AM and kezmonline.com with
Matthew Bonnette calling the action.
McNeese 12, Nicholls 3 (Mar 25, 2017 at Lake Charles, La.)
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Nicholls............ 100 000 110 - 3 10 1 (13-10, 5-3 SLC)
McNeese............. 300 016 02X - 12 12 0 (17-6, 8-0 SLC)
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Pitchers: Nicholls - Hatcher, Cayden; Goff, Daniel(5); Craft, Kyle(6); Bollinger, Austin(7);
Skoda, Jae(8); Scott, Jarred(8) and Tucker, Alex. McNeese - Deaton, Rhett; Rider, Zach(9) and
Whelton, Brett.
Win-Deaton, Rhett(3-0) Loss-Hatcher, Cayden(2-2) T-2:38 A-632
HR NICH - Givan, Juan (2).
HR MCN - Selman, Shane (3).
Weather: 78; Overcast; Wind: SSW 11
Hatcher, C. faced 2 batters in the 5th.
Goff, D. faced 4 batters in the 6th.
Skoda, J. faced 3 batters in the 8th.
