LAKE CHARLES- With conference play halfway done, McNeese (20-17, 6-6) returns home to take on Southeastern this weekend for a three-game, Southland Conference series at Joe Miller Ballpark.
The Rundown
Opponent: Southeastern Lions (17-20, 7-5 SLC)
Date: April 22-24
Site: Monroe, Louisiana | Warhawk Field
Time: 6 / 6 / 1 p.m.
Live Stats / McNeese Sports Youtube
Probable Pitching Matchups:
Friday: RHP Grant Rogers (4-3, 3.86) vs. RHP Will Kinzeler (3-1, 3.40) / Saturday: TBA vs. LHP Adam Guth (1-1, 5.90) / Sunday: TBA vs. TBA
Series History:
McNeese and Southeastern are meeting for the 185th time, SLU leads the overall series 97-86-1. McNeese took four of six meetings last season including an 18-2 victory in the SLC Tournament.
Last Time Out:
McNeese saw its four-game win streak snapped Wednesday night in a 4-3 loss at ULM in 10 innings. Down to the final four outs, Jordan Yeatts' clutch two-run single tied the game at three after a walk by Braden Duhon and singles by Payton Harden and Kade Hunter loaded the bases in the eighth. Julian Gonzales posted three hits with two doubles and two stolen bases, and Payton Harden also produced three hits with a double to lead McNeese's offensive effort.
Earlier in the week, McNeese defeated Sam Houston 8-4. Josh Leslie finished 3-5 with two runs scored in the contest. Reid Bourque posted his second consecutive two hit-two RBI game going 2-4 with a single and double. Brett Payne (2-0) got the win after a 4.2-inning outing, striking out five hitters after allowing one run on three hits.
About McNeese:
Brad Burckel (.358 - 2nd in SLC), Payton Harden (.356 - 3rd in SLC), and Braden Duhon (.339 - 5th in SLC) are the Cowboys leading hitters.
Kade Morris leads the club with six home runs, with Burckel right behind him with five.
Julian Gonzales' 16 extra-base hits and 25 RBIs are tops on the ballclub.
Payton Harden leads the conference with 52 hits, and Brad Burckel sits at no. 3 with 48. Harden has posted 20 multi-hit games in 37 starts.
Burckel is second in the conference with 74 total bases to go along with an OPS of 1.009.
McNeese leads the league in batting average (.283) and is second in hits (357), runs (249), doubles (67), total bases (543), and slugging % (.431), while carrying the lowest ERA on the mound (4.05).
Get Hot, Stay Hot:
Payton Harden is 12 for his last 25 (.480) with three RBI, seven runs scored, two doubles, and three stolen bases.
In 19 games since 3/18, Braden Duhon is batting .387 with three triples, two doubles, 10 runs batted in, and 6 stolen bases from the leadoff spot. In that span, Kade Hunter is batting .341 with three home runs, eight doubles, and 16 RBI.
On The Run:
The Cowboys have stolen the fifth-most bases in the nation with 86. Payton Harden leads with 16 bags while three more Pokes have stolen over 13 bases.
The Pokes have tripled 19 times this season which is tied with no. 1 Tennessee and Arizona for the second-highest total in the country.
Closing Time:
Cameron Foster's nine saves are tied for the fourth-most in College Baseball. He's 2-1 with a 1.30 ERA and 49 strikeouts in 34.2 innings.
New Kid On the Block:
After being called upon to get the Friday night nod, Panola CC transfer Grant Rogers has posted a 2-1 record in four conference starts pitching to a 2.92 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 24.2 innings. He posted 7-inning outings in his first two conference starts which included taking a no-hitter into the sixth at Nicholls.
About SLU:
Winners in nine of its last 11 games, sitting one game ahead of McNeese, Southeastern tied for first place in the conference standings.. Shea Thomas (.312), Preston Faulkner (.285), Champ Artigues (.269) and Tyler Finke (.261) are Southeasterns leading hitters. Faulkner paces the team with 21 extra-base hits, 11 home runs, and with 38 RBIs.
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