LAKE CHARLES, La. - Riding a two-game win steak and series victory, McNeese Baseball (11-10, 0-0 SLC) continues a nine-game homestand against Mississippi Valley State (8-12, 0-4 SWAC) at Joe Miller Ballpark Tuesday evening with a 6 p.m. start time.
The Pokes hold a 5-0 all-time series lead over the Delta Devils with the first meeting occurring in 2020 as a four-game series and both teams duking it out during the 2023 season in a stand alone game.
McNeese comes off a series win over Northwestern, the team's second-ever series win over a Big Ten program with the first coming in 2000 over Minnesota. With Sunday's win, it marked the third series clinched this season, the first two coming against New Mexico State (4-0) and Prairie View (3-0).
Over the weekend, McNeese saw four unique players tab a multi-hit game with senior Cooper Hext having the best performance, hitting 3-for-4 with a run on Sunday. Chase Keeton, a redshirt senior, also had a three-hit game in five at-bats and two RBIs Friday evening. Seniors Braden Duhon and Parker Stroh collected two-hit games each on the weekend.
Conner Westenburg (junior) owns the team's longest hit streak of five games with Elliot Hebert (senior) behind him with four, going back to UL-Lafayette.
Following the midweek game, the Cowboys begin conference play against Northwestern State at home March 28-30.
Series Preview
• McNeese holds a 5-0 all-time series lead over Mississippi Valley State with the first meeting occurring in 2020.
• Four of the victories came in 2020 with the last win coming in 2023 in a midweek meeting.
• Poke Nation outscored MVSU 7-2 in the last game.
• The Cowboys have averaged 13 runs a game against the Delta Devils with 65 total in the series.
McNeese Notes
• Alexis Gravel's six starts place him 22nd in the nation and tied with nine other players for the top spot in the conference.
• Conner Westenburg owns the team's longest hitting streak at five games.
• The blue and gold sit 51st in the nation with seven triples, six behind conference foe UIW at 13.
• The Cowboys have earned at least six hits in 18 of 21 games this season.
• With 11 appearances under his belt, Kainin Morrow sits 68th in the nation for most pitching appearances after once sitting as high as sixth.
• Morrow is further 87th in the nation and second amongst the conference in victories, collecting three on the mound.
• JT Moeller holds the 65th best strikeout-to-walk ration in the nation at 5.40.
• Cameron LeJeune owns the 60th most saves in D1 baseball at three on the season.
• The NCAA ranks McNeese as having the 11th-hardest strength of schedule in the nation after taking on the top team in the nation in Arkansas and seventh-ranked Texas A&M, the second-to-last undefeated team.
• Cooper Hext was named to the SLC Preseason All-Conference Second Team.
• McNeese was slated to finish fifth in the conference in the SLC Preseason Poll.
• The Cowboys have 23 returners on the squad with 17 newcomers for the season.
• McNeese has made 11 straight appearances in the SLC Tournament, qualifying each year under the tutelage of Coach Hill.
Scouting the Opponent
• Mississippi Valley Stat's victories have come over Jackson State (1), Harris-Stowe State (3), Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2), and Tougaloo College (Miss.) (2).
• Jack Early, Ty Washington, and Will Menendez each own a batting average over .300 at .356, .339,. and .333 respectively.
• Jesus Campa owns the best ERA for the Delta Devils at 0.72 over the course of 25.0 innings.
Last Five
3/14/2023 McNeese 7, MVSU 2
2/16/2020 McNeese 16, MVSU 1
2/15/2020 McNeese 21, MVSU 2
2/15/2020 McNeese 12, MVSU 0
2/14/2020 McNeese 9, MVSU 0
