LAKE CHARLES, La. – McNeese Baseball (21-22, 5-10 SLC) returns to Southland Conference play against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (21-27, 9-9 SLC) at Chapman Field for a three-game series starting on Friday, May 3.
 
All three games are slated to be streamed on ESPN+ with live stats available to follow along. The series begins at 6 p.m. Friday night followed by 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. first pitches on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
 
The Cowboys recently defeated Southeastern for its first conference series victory of the season, winning 2-1 on Friday and Sunday. The win elevated the Pokes to eighth in the conference standings while the Islanders sit in fifth.
 
Against Power 5 opponent Houston, six batters earned multi-hit games led by sophomore Braley Hollins who hit 3-for-4 on the night with a run scored and RBI. Senior Elliot Hebert tied his season high three RBIs, scoring a run himself.
 
Cooper Hext, a senior, continues to lead the conference in stolen bases with 18 and in triples at five on the season. Hext is ninth in the nation in triples and 67^th in D1 Baseball with his stolen base total.
 
After concluding the four-game road trip, McNeese returns home for a Tuesday midweek rematch against Southern at Joe Miller Ballpark.
 
Weekend Lineup
Fri., May 3 at A&M-Corpus Christi | 6:00 p.m. | ESPN+
Sat., May 4 at A&M-Corpus Christi | 2:00 p.m. | ESPN+
Sun., May 5 at A&M-Corpus Christi | 1:00 p.m. | ESPN+

Series Preview
• Both teams last met in the 2023 SLC Tournament play in game where the Cowboys blanked the Islanders 4-0.
• McNees holds the all-time series lead 25-18 with the first meeting taking place in April 2007.
• During the series in 2023, McNeese won the rubber match to take the series.
• McNeese has nine victories over AMCC on the road.
 
McNeese Notes
• Cooper Hext is ninth in the nation with five triples on the season. Hext leads the conference while Conner Westenburg sits fifth in the conference with three.
• The blue and gold sit 23rd in the nation with 16 triples and second in the conference, two shy of New Orleans.
• Alexis Gravel's 11 starts place him 24th in the nation and tied with eight other players for the top spot in the conference.
• McNeese is 66th in D1 Baseball with two shutouts on the season, blanking Northwestern and Mississippi Valley State.
• JT Moeller and Kainin Morrow lead the team in pitching appearances at 20 and each sit tied for fourth in the conference.
• Max Swenson owns the lowest ERA of the relief pitchers that have thrown at least eight innings in conference play at 2.16.
• Cooper Hext owns the best batting average on the team at .312, collecting 20 extra-base hits, the second most on the squad.
• Conner Westenburg leads the squad with 21 extra-base hits with 13 doubles, three triples, and five home runs.
• The Cowboys have earned at least six hits in 35 of 43 games this season.
• Fifteen pitchers on the Cowboys' staff have made at least one appearance through five conference series. All season long, 17 pitchers have pitched on the mound.
• The NCAA ranked McNeese as having the 17th-hardest strength of schedule in the nation before Southland play after taking on ranked opponents in Arkansas and 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.
 
Scouting the Opponent
• Texas A&M-CC is 10-9 against common opponents in 2024.
• The Islanders have defeated New Orleans, Lamar, Northwestern State and UIW in conference series, each 2-1.
• Three batters hold a .300+ batting average on the season led by Isaac Webb at .347.
• 113 of the Islanders' hits have come off extra-base hits.
 
Last Five
5/23/2023          McNeese 4, AMCC 0
4/8/2023             McNeese 4, AMCC 3
4/7/2023             AMCC 5, McNeese 3
4/7/2023             McNeese 8, AMCC 3
5/1/2022             AMCC 13, McNeese 11