HUNTSVILLE, TX- The McNeese Cowboys plate three-runs in the ninth inning to lift them to a 4-3 come-from-behind victory against first place Sam Houston State Friday night in the first game of a three-game series at Don Sanders Field.
 
With the win, McNeese (15-11, 3-4 SLC) snaps Sam Houston State's (15-8, 7-3) four-game winning streak against the Cowboys and gives McNeese their first win in Huntsville since 2017.
 
Cowboys' starting pitcher Rhett Deaton (3-2) posted an outstanding outing and one of his best of the season for the Cowboys. Making his seventh start of the season, the junior Deaton pitched 7.2 innings, gave up three runs, allowed only six hits, struck out four batters and got the no decision.
 
The Cowboys jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning after sophomore Reid Bourque reached base on a lead-off single, he then took second and third on a throwing error, and then scored on a Payton Harden sacrifice fly.
 
In the sixth inning, the Bearkats would take the lead after a two-run home run, on what seemed to be Deaton's only bad pitch of the night, to give Sam Houston State a 2-1 lead.
 
McNeese would then head into the ninth down 3-1, after the Bearkats scored a run in the bottom of the eighth. After back to-back singles from Clayton Rasbeary and Carson Maxwell to lead off the inning, Jake Dickerson would hit a double into the right field corner to plate one run and put runners on second and third with no outs. Two batters later, in stepped Brett Whelton and he would deliver the clutch two-run single up the middle of the infield to give the Cowboys the lead.
 
Aidan Anderson would then come in to get his fourth save of the season after striking out the first two batters he faced and then getting groundout to first base to end the game.
 
McNeese will be back on the field Saturday afternoon to continue their weekend series against Sam Houston State in Huntsville. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. on Friday.
 
KEY INNINGS
 
3rd | Reid Bourque would lead off the inning with a single through the middle of the infield and then advance to third on a throwing error by the SHSU pitcher on a pick attempt. Bourque would then score on an RBI sacrifice flyout to the leftfielder by freshman Payton Harden to give the Cowboys a 1-0 lead.
 
6th | In the bottom half of the inning, the Bearkats would take a 2-1 lead on a two-run home run.
 
8th | The Bearkats would extend their lead to 3-1 after the eighth inning.
 
9th |The Cowboys would lead off the inning with back to-back singles from Clayton Rasbeary and Carson Maxwell, giving Jake Dickerson two men on and no outs. Dickerson would then hit an RBI double on the first pitch he saw. Two batters later, Brett Whelton would hit the eventual game-winning 2-RBI single up the middle of the infield to give the Cowboys the 4-3 win.
 
 
MCNEESE NOTES
 
Offense:
The Cowboys were led offensively by Jake Dickerson, going 2-for-4 with one single, one run, and one RBI.
 
Brett Whelton went 1-for-3 for the night with his one hit being the biggest hit of the night, a game winning 2-RBI single in the ninth.
 
Pitching:
Junior right-handed pitcher Rhett Deaton got the start for the Cowboys Friday night, he would pitch 7.2 innings, give up two runs, allow only five hits, struck out four batters, and get the no decision.
 
Senior Bryan King would relive Deaton in the eighth and get the last out of the inning.
 
Aidan Anderson would enter the game to start the ninth inning and he would pick up his fourth save of the year. Anderson finished with 1.0 inning pitched and picked up his 26^th and 27^th strikeout of the year.
 
 
ON DECK
The Cowboys will play game two of the three-game weekend series against the Sam Houston State Bearkats on Saturday and wrap up the series with the finale on Sunday. First pitch on Saturday will be 3 p.m.
 
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