HAMMOND, La. – A perfect day at the plate with two two-run home runs for Peyton LeJeune lifted McNeese Baseball over UIW 6-2 in the seventh game of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field to advance to the Semifinals. The Cowboys improve to 31-25 on the 2024 campaign as the Cardinals fall to 26-30.
 
Both teams stood tied 2-2 after five innings of play before LeJeune, a senior, slammed his first two-run home run out of the park to right center to take the 4-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth. He stepped up to the plate in the bottom frame of the eighth and smacked two more insurance runs home with a shot to left center to solidify the victory for the Cowboys.
 
LeJeune finished the day 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored with a walk. He was one of three Pokes to earn multiple hits on the day joined by senior Cooper Hext and redshirt senior Chase Keeton.

The victory marks the first time since the 2022 SLC Baseball Tournament the Pokes have started 2-0. McNeese started 2-0 in the 2019, 2021, and 2022 tournaments. The only other two times the team has accomplished the feat were in 1993 and 2003. In each of those five seasons, the Cowboys started 3-0.
 
Alexis Gravel earned the second victory of his junior campaign with a six-inning start against the Cardinals, only allowing three hits while striking out three batters. Cameron LeJeune, a redshirt junior, threw the final three frames of the outing with three strikeouts for his sixth save of the season.
 
McNeese continues its journey in the SLC Tournament Friday at 4 p.m. against the winner of the Game 9 matchup between top-seeded Lamar and eighth-seeded UIW.
 
Pitching Appearances
Alexis Gravel: 6.0 IP, 3 K's, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, Win
Cameron LeJeune: 3.0 IP, 3 K's, 4 H, 3 BB, 0 ER, Save 
 
McNeese Notes
• First time since 2022 the Cowboys started the SLC Tournament 2-0.
• Elliot Hebert extended his hitting streak to eight games to continue leading the Pokes.
• McNeese has outscored its opponents 35-31 in the third inning.
• When leading after three innings, the Pokes are 20-1 on the season.
• Gravel made his 13th start of 2024.
• Cameron LeJeune made his second appearance in the 2024 SLC Tournament.
• Peyton LeJeune had a 3-for-3 day at the plate, driving in four runs.
• 24^th game of the season with double-digit hits.
• Multi-Hit Games: Cooper Hext (23^rd), Peyton LeJeune (10^th), Chase Keeton (10^th)