LAKE CHARLES - A three-run first inning by Southeastern set an early tone as McNeese fell 11-7 to Southeastern Lions (30-29) in the final game of the Southland Conference Championship Series, Saturday night at Joe Miller Ballpark.

The Cowboys finish the year 34-23 overall and 15-9 in conference play. The 2022 McNeese Cowboys captured the fifth outright regular-season title in program history.

The Pokes scored seven runs on 12 hits, Brad Burckel's 3-5 day with two homers, a double, and three RBI led the blue & gold at the plate. Braden Duhon and Josh Leslie each added three hits.

Chance Stone (3-3) got the ball to start for McNeese and took the loss. Christian Vega came out of the bullpen and struck out eight batters across 3.2 innings. Hunter O'Toole (4-4) struck out four over four innings of relief to pick up the win. 

SLU got on the board first on back-to-back doubles from Shea Thomas and Tyler Finke to grab an early 3-0 lead.  

McNeese got on the board in the home half of the fourth inning when Josh Leslie singled home Brad Burckel (double) to make it 4-1 Lions. 

The Lions added four more between the sixth and seventh inning with a Brad Burckel solo homer wedged in between to make it 8-2 entering the home half of the seventh.

McNeese cut the deficit to four with a two-run seventh inning highlighted by Payton Harden's ribbie base knock and Kade Hunter's RBI groundout. 

A two-run double by Christian Garcia extended the Lion lead to 10-4 and they'd tack on another one on an RBI single by Tristian Welch. 

McNeese wouldn't go down without a fight scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the ninth, Brad Burckel's second homer of the day plated runs no. six and seven.

2022 Southland Baseball All-Tournament Team
1B Preston Faulkner, Southeastern (MVP)
3B Shea Thomas, Southeastern
RHP Gage Trahan, Southeastern
2B Rhett Rosevear, Southeastern
SS Evan Keller, Southeastern
RHP Cameron Foster, McNeese
2B Brad Burckel, McNeese
RHP Tyler Stone, McNeese
CF Payton Harden, McNeese
LF Julian Gonzales, McNeese
C Miguel Useche, New Orleans
DH Tre Jones, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

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