SUGAR LAND- McNeese starting pitcher Aidan Anderson, along with great defensive play behind him, tossed his first career complete game in leading the Cowboys to a 2-1 victory over Incarnate Word in the first round of the Southland Conference Tournament Wednesday night.
 
The win advances No. 5-seed McNeese (32-24) into the winner's bracket where it'll take on No. 8 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 7 p.m. on Thursday. The Islanders stunned top-seed Sam Houston State 2-1 earlier in the day. UIW (35-21), the No. 4 seed, will take on the Bearkats at noon in an elimination game. The Cowboys won their tournament opener for the third time in the last four seasons.
 
Anderson (6-6) allowed just five hits against the Cardinals while walking two and striking out four. He threw 133 pitches in the contest and faced and the minimum in the final 6.1 innings pitched.
 
"Aidan was special tonight," said head coach Justin Hill. "Our defense was outstanding and we got the timely hits. But give that team (UIW) credit. They are a great team.
 
"I was going to take him out in the ninth and he's never talked me out of taking him out, but his team convinced me tonight."
 
Incarnate Word (35-21) scored the game's first run in the second inning on a sacrifice fly out to right field to take the early 1-0 lead.
 
After the second inning, McNeese controlled the game both offensively and defensively.
 
In the fifth, Julian Gonzales reached base after getting hit-by-pitch, took second on a groundout to third base and third on a wild pitch. Gonzales scored on a sacrifice fly out to right field to tie the game at 1-1.
 
In the next inning, McNeese loaded the bases with no outs and then Carson Maxwell plated the eventual game-winning run on a deep sac fly to center field for the 2-1 lead.
 
In the final three innings, Anderson was masterful, setting down eight straight Cardinals batters before allowing a walk and a fly out to end the game.
 
KEY INNINGS
 
2nd | In the bottom of the inning, the Cardinals scored the first run of the ballgame on a sacrifice fly to right field to take a 1-0 lead.
 
5th | In the top of the inning, Julian Gonzales reached on a hit-by-pitch to lead off, advanced to second on a groundout, and then to third on a wild pitch. Reid Bourque then hit a deep fly ball to right field to plate Gonzales and tie the game at 1-1.
 
6th | Nate Fisbeck struck out but reached base on a high throw to lead off the inning, followed by a single in to left field by Rasbeary. The runners advanced on a sac bunt by Bourque and then Jake Dickerson drew a walk to load the bases to Carson Maxwell. Maxwell then hit an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to give the Cowboys a 2-1 lead and then final.
 
MCNEESE NOTES
 
Offense:
 
The Cowboys were led offensively by Payton Harden, he finished 2-for-3 from the plate including two singles.
 
Carson Maxwell and Reid Bourque were each credited with an RBI for the Cowboys only two runs of the game.
 
Pitching:
 
Senior right-handed pitcher Aidan Anderson got the start for the Cowboys in Wednesday night's game. Anderson finished with 9.0 IP, gave up only one run on five hits, struck out four, and got the win.
 
ON DECK
The Cowboys will be back in action tomorrow in Sugar Land, Texas for round two of the Southland Conference Tournament. Their opponent will be Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in the last game of the day, first pitch is set for 7 p.m.
 
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