LAKE CHARLES – Easton Dowell smashed a home run over the left-field wall to lift McNeese to a walk-off 9-8 victory over Lamar in extra innings Saturday evening, forcing a rubber match on Sunday at Joe Miller Ballpark. McNeese rises to 13-4 (5-3 SLC), its best start under head coach Justin Hill as the Cardinals drop to 15-6 (3-5 SLC).
 
McNeese battled back and forth with Lamar throughout the game, taking an 8-6 lead in the eighth before the Cardinals plated two in the ninth to force extra innings. Dowell, a redshirt sophomore, was the first Cowboy batter to step to the plate in the 10th, entering as a pinch hitter in the designated hitter slot, hitting the walk-off home run on the fourth pitch he saw.
 
The 10-inning meeting is the second consecutive for both squads and only extra-inning games the Pokes have played this season. It marks the third walk-off victory for the Pokes this season.
 
Sophomore Seth Fontenot made his second start of the season, going on to hit 3-for-4 at the plate with a run batted in. His season average through both starts was elevated to .727.
 
Lamar and McNeese exchanged blows in the second inning with a run each with the Cardinals taking the lead in the top of the frame on an RBI groundout. Seth Fontenot evened the score in the bottom with an RBI double to drive in graduate student Davis Meche from first base.
 
The Cardinals regained the advantage with a solo home run over the right-center wall before extending their lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, senior Simon Larranaga stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third and smashed a 423-foot home run out of center field to put the Cowboys ahead 4-3. Junior Larry Edwards Jr., who reached on a double, and graduate student Davis Meche on base by a walk came home on the play.
 
Lamar took the lead in the sixth with two home runs, making it a 5-4 ballgame before tallying a sixth run in the eighth.
 
Down two runs headed into the bottom frame of the eighth, McNeese recorded four runs for its second lead of the day. Redshirt sophomore Braley Hollins scored the initial run on an RBI single by junior Matt Stancliff. The Pokes took the lead on an RBI double by sophomore Mack Brousseau to score both Westenburg and Stancliff. The eighth run for the Pokes came when senior Marcus Mott, a pitcher who came in to pinch run, crossed home on an RBI single by senior first baseman Marcus Heusohn.
 
Freshman Brady Corcoran tallied his first collegiate victory with a 1.2 inning shutout effort.
 
The Cowboys and Cardinals round out the Battle of the Border series 4 p.m. Sunday at Joe Miller Ballpark.
 
Pitching Appearances
Cooper Golden: 5.0 IP, 3 K's, 5 H, 1 BB, 4 ER
Jake Blackwell: 2.2 IP, 2 K's, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 ER
Blayne Fritcher: 0.1 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 ER
Parker Morgan: 0.0 IP, 0 K, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 ER
Parker Primeaux: 0.1 IP, 0 K's, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 ER
Brady Corcoran: 1.2 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, Win
 
McNeese Notes
• Braley Hollins made his first start of the season.
• Brady Corcoran earned his first victory of the season.
• Second straight extra-inning game for the Cowboys.
• Seth Fontenot has recorded multiple hits in both games he's started this season.
• Mack Brousseau and Simon Larranaga both extended their team-high eight-game hitting streaks in the outing, the longest all season.
• Larry Edwards Jr. has reached base in 12 straight games.
• Blayne Fritcher and Parker Morgan made their second appearances in as many days.
• Seth Fontenot went 3-for-4 at the plate with two singles and a double, now hitting .727 on the season.
• Braley Hollins recorded his first hit of the season in the ninth.
• McNeese has plated a run in 45 consecutive games.
• Multi-Hit Games: Seth Fontenot, Matt Stancliff, Mack Brousseau, Larry Edwards Jr.