LAKE CHARLES – McNeese baseball will close out its 2018 home season this Tuesday night when the Cowboys host Louisiana-Monroe, two days before starting the final regular season series at Lamar on Thursday.
The Cowboys (25-27) are coming off its only home weekend sweep after taking three games from Prairie View, averaging 10 runs per game while hitting .360 for the weekend.
ULM is 22-28 on the season and dropped three games over the weekend at home against Troy. The Warhawks, who are 6-18 on the road this season, have lost nine straight away from home.
McNeese defeated ULM 7-3 back on April 24 in Monroe in a game where
Joe Provenzano and Carson Maxwell led the team with three hits each as the Cowboys totaled 15 in the contest.
Provenzano will enter Tuesday's game needing just two hits to tie the school's career hits record of 247 and held by Andrew Guillotte. The senior second baseman is hitting .512 (21 of 41) in his last 10 games, and since hitting .227 on April 2, has been on a blistering pace, hitting .442 the last 24 games, including a .500 on-base percentage, as he now leads the team with a .333 batting average.
In addition to his attack on the hits record, Provenzano has 45 career doubles to rank him tied for sixth all-time; 346 total bases ranking him fourth; 784 at-bats to rank him second; and has played in 216 career games with 211 starts, also ranking him second.
The Cowboys will throw LHP
Bryan King to start things off on Tuesday night. King is 3-4 on the season and will be making his 12
th start.
The Warhawks are led in hitting by right fielder Johnny DeLaCruz with a .335 batting average.
Tuesday's game will be broadcast on the McNeese Radio Network (KEZM 1310 AM and McNeeseSports.com).
McNeese, who clinched a spot on Sunday for the Southland Conference Tournament, will play at Lamar on Thursday and Friday at 6 p.m., and Saturday at 2. The league tournament will run from May 23-26 at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
