LAKE CHARLES, La. – Despite a three-run rally in the bottom of the ninth, McNeese Baseball (16-18, 2-7 SLC) fell to the UIW Cardinals (20-14, 5-4 SLC) 10-5 at Joe Miller Ballpark Sunday afternoon.
 
"We want to get it going and keep showing up and putting the work in," said head coach Justin Hill. "Their hitters did a great job earning everything they got."
 
The Cowboys rallied in the final frame of the game with three runs to cut into the Cardinals' lead, falling just short with runners on base. Junior Conner Westenburg drove in two runs with no outs on the board as Easton Dowell, redshirt freshman, and Peyton LeJeune, senior, rounded the bases. A single by junior Simon Larranaga brought in a pinch runner, senior Cade Hart, for the fifth and final run for the Cowboys.
 
McNeese plated its first run of the game in the bottom of the second on an RBI double by senior Peyton LeJeune to score redshirt senior Chase Keeton. Keeton reached base on a double just two at-bats earlier, advancing to third on a flyout en route to coming hom.
 
Braden Duhon, a senior, plated the second run of the afternoon in the fourth inning on a junior Grant Mangrum RBI single.
 
The Cardinals scored each of their 10 runs in the initial six innings with Poke Nation shutting them down in the fifth inning followed by the seventh to close.
 
Five pitchers took to the mound donning the baby blue tops, combining for a total five strikeouts in the outing.
 
The Cowboys continue the 2024 campaign against Sam Houston State at Joe Miller Ballpark Tuesday evening.
 
Pitching Appearances
Alexis Gravel: 3.0 IP, 4 K's, 7 H, 2 BB, 7 ER
Kainin Morrow: 0.1 IP, 0 K's, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 ER
Ty Abraham: 3.0 IP, 0 K, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 ER
Clay Kennedy: 1.2 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER
Brian Shadrick: 1.0 IP, 0 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER
 
McNeese Notes
- Five pitchers saw action for the Cowboys.
- Earning multi-hit games: Conner Westenburg (12^th), Peyton LeJeune (7^th), Grant Mangrum (7^th)
- Simon Larranaga, Cooper Hext, Grant Mangrum, and Chase Keeton each earned a hit in every game against UIW.
- Gravel threw a team-high four strikeouts.