LAKE CHARLES, La. - Taking the game into extra innings, McNeese Baseball (5-5) defeated Prairie View A&M (6-3) 8-7 on a bases-loaded walk late in the 10th inning at Joe Miller Ballpark Friday night.
 
"I thought Prairie View really set the tone," remarked head coach Justin Hill. "JT Moeller gave us the chance to win the game and come back. I'm really proud of the team and how they came out and I thought that was a great fight. It's going to be a great fight all weekend."
 
Looking to kick off the game strong, leadoff hitter junior Conner Westenburg smacked the first pitch he saw over the left field wall to give the Cowboys a 1-0 lead.
 
Both teams were scoreless through the second with the tying run being scored by the Panthers in the third after a leadoff triple to put him in scoring position early.
 
Responding quickly, redshirt senior Chase Keeton earned a walk, advanced on a wild pitch, and finally took advantage on a single RBI by senior Peyton LeJeune for the 2-1 lead.
 
The Panthers took a 6-2 lead during the top of the fourth by plating five runs. McNeese took a run off the lead in the bottom when redshirt freshman Easton Dowell doubles to bring home junior Grant Mangrum. PVAMU earned another run in the pursuing half inning.
 
In the battle of runs, the Pokes scored Keeton on a sacrifice fly by senior Braden Duhon to bring the game back within three.
 
Never giving up the fight, McNeese earned three runs in the sixth to make it a 7-7 game at The Jeaux. Senior Cooper Hext hit a triple out to center field before coming home two batters later on a single by LeJeune. LeJeune and Keeton both scored later in the inning on a Duhon triple to bring the game to a gridlock.
 
Heading into extra innings in the bottom of the 10th, Hext singled to right with two outs, watching Keeton get to first in the next at-bat on a walk. LeJeune reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. The Panthers walked junior Cole Plowman to bring in the winning run as McNeese claimed the 8-7 victory.
 
Starter Ty Abraham, a redshirt senior, threw 3.2 innings of work, striking out a high of five batters in the performance, throwing 83 pitches. Senior JT Moeller came out in the fourth inning, throwing three innings of work, only allowing three hits and one run.
 
Cameron LeJeune, a redshirt junior, earned the victory, pitching 3.1 innings, not allowing a single run in 57 pitches thrown. He struck out three batters and permitted just two walks.
 
Both teams return to the diamond Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. for game two of the series at Joe Miller Ballpark.