LAKE CHARLES – The first place McNeese Cowboys return to The Jeaux this weekend, a place where the Cowboys have been unbeatable this season, when they host Stephen F. Austin in a four-game Southland Conference baseball series.
 
Starting times have changed for Friday and Saturday's games due to a power issue with a couple of the lighting poles caused by the two hurricanes. Friday's opener will begin at 2 p.m. while Saturday's double-header will carry an 11 a.m. first pitch. Sunday's finale will start at its regular time of 1 p.m.
 
McNeese (12-7, 6-1 SLC) has posted a 9-0 record at Joe Miller Ballpark this season and has won seven of its last eight games overall. The Cowboys hold a half-game lead over New Orleans and Nicholls in the league standings. SFA (4-12, 2-6) won two out of four game against UNO last weekend, one week after being swept by Nicholls to open conference play.
 
McNEESE ROTATION:
Head coach Justin Hill is changing up the rotation just a bit and will start RHP Ty Abraham (1-0, 3.38 ERA) on Friday. Lefty Will Dion (2-2, 3.21) will start in Saturday's first game while LHP Jonathan Ellison (1-0, 1.32) will get the nod in the nightcap. Right-hander Christian Vega (0-1, 6.87) will get the start on Sunday.
 
BATS HEATING UP:
McNeese is ranked second in the league with a .303 batting average leads the league in slugging with a .429 average as well as topping the list with 50 extra-base hits.
 
Individually, the Cowboys have the top two hitters in the league – designated hitter Tré Obregon (.417) and right fielder Clayton Rasbeary (.390). Center fielder Payton Harden is ranked fifth with a .355 average while second baseman Nate Fisbeck, the reigning conference hitter of the week, is 11^th with a .333 mark.
 
Obregon has hit safely in 11 straight games, the longest streak on the team.
 
Nationally, the Cowboys are ranked No. 7 with 44 doubles hit and 13^th with 2.3 doubles hit per game. Additionally, McNeese is fourth in the nation with nine triples on the season.
 
Fisbeck tops the nation with 10 doubles hit while Rasbeary and Jake Dickerson are tied for 16^th with eight hit each. Rasbeary ranks No. 2 in the NCAA with three triples and is 20^th with 30 total hits. Harden is 29^th with 22 runs scored.