RUSTON – McNeese will carry a five-game winning streak into a three-game weekend against Louisiana Tech, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. as the Bulldogs will welcome fans for the first time to their brand new baseball stadium.
The Cowboys (5-3) are coming off a thrilling 4-3 win over Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday night in Lake Charles to cap a 5-0 home stand. Previously, McNeese swept Prairie View in a four-game weekend series.
The Bulldogs (4-3) also played ULL in their last outing, falling by a score of 7-2 on Tuesday night.
OFFENSE ON THE ATTACK
The Cowboys hit .308 as a team over the past five home games including hitting nine doubles, six triples and two home runs.
Individually, right fielder
Clayton Rasbeary, the reigning Southland Conference Hitter of the Week, hit a blistering .632 (12 for 19) with four doubles and two triples. He currently leads the team and Southland Conference with a .548 batting average and has hit safely in all eight games this season, including five multiple hit games with three of those knocking three hits in each.
Rasbeary also leads the league with 17 hits, is tied with
Nate Fisbeck for most doubles (5) and
Payton Harden with two triples.
Harden is second on the team with a .323 average while Fisbeck is hitting .300. After starting out the season 0-7 through the first two games, Harden is batting .417 (10 for 24) over the last six games.
NO CHANGES IN PITCHING ROTATION
Will Dion (1-1, 3.21 ERA), this week's National Pitcher of the Week by Collegiate Baseball, Perfect Game, D1 Baseball and the NCBWA as well as the Southland Conference, will take the mound for Friday night's game.
The redshirt sophomore from Sulphur leads the NCAA with 24 strikeouts with 19 of those coming against Prairie View in a complete game shutout win and tying the school record.
Right-handed pitcher
Ty Abraham (1-0, 0.00) will get the start in Saturday's 2 p.m. game while
Christian Vega (0-0, 2.89) will take the mound in Sunday's 1 o'clock finale.
SCOUTING THE BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs are 3-0 at home this year, all three wins against Southern.
LTU is hitting .315 as a team and is led at the plate by Philip Matulia's .500 average. Two other players are hitting .400 or above – CF Parker Bates (.414) and designated hitter Cole McConnell (.400).
The Bulldogs' rotation will be made up of LHP Jonathan Fincher (1-0, 2.00), RHP Ryan Jennings (1-0, 1.93) and RHP Jarret Whorff (1-1, 3.48).
