Easton Dowell at-bat
Dena Matzenbacher
11
Winner MCN MCN 24-6, 12-4 SLC
6
Incarnate Word UIW 15-22, 2-17 SLC
Winner
MCN MCN
24-6, 12-4 SLC
11
Final
6
Incarnate Word UIW
15-22, 2-17 SLC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
MCN MCN 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 2 5 11 12 0
Incarnate Word UIW 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 2 6 11 0

W: Golden, Cooper (2-2) L: McKay, Gus (2-4)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Taylor Riemersma, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

McNeese topples UIW 11-6 to extend 10-game win streak, sets new program record best start

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – McNeese baseball claimed its 10th consecutive victory over UIW Friday afternoon at Sullivan Field to kick off its best start in program history with a 25-5 record and 12-4 in conference play. The Cardinals dropped to 15-22 on the season and 2-17 in SLC action.
 
The Cowboys' prior best was 34 seasons ago when the squad went 24-5 in 1991 for the long-standing record. Earning the victory moved the win streak to its longest under head coach Justin Hill with 10 and longest since the 2010 campaign. It currently ranks the second-longest in all of Division I baseball only behind Austin Peay at 13 games.
 
McNeese earned the first two runs of the game in the top of the third with the bases juiced on a two-RBI single by Larry Edwards Jr., a junior, down the left side. Seniors Grant Mangrum and Conner Westenburg crossed home after each reaching on a single and a double respectively.
 
UIW erased the lead, going on top with a three-run bottom fifth, scoring on a solo home run and a pair of RBI singles.
 
The lead didn't last long for the Cardinals as the Cowboys plated two in the sixth inning as senior Marcus Heusohn came home on an RBI groundout for the first. Redshirt junior Braley Hollins beat out a throw to first to send home Edwards Jr. for his first run of the day to lift the Pokes up to a 4-3 lead.
 
Two insurance runs were tacked on in the eighth inning on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Mangrum to advance graduate student Davis Meche to home from third. The sixth run came in the next at-bat on a Westenburg single to score junior Matt Stancliff from second base.
 
Holding a two-run advantage heading into the ninth, the Pokes' offense exploded in the ninth with five runs to put the game to rest. Redshirt sophomore Easton Dowell drove in a pair of runs with a single to left center with an out recorded. Meche scored his second run of the afternoon on a bases-loaded walk with Mangrum at the plate. Westenburg singled up the middle in the next at-bat to drive in two more runs with Stancliff and Dowell crossing home to make it 11-4.
 
UIW cut into the lead with a two-run home run over the center field wall in the bottom of the ninth.
 
The Cowboys and Cardinals return to Sullivan Field Saturday at 2:05 p.m. for the second game of the series.
 
Pitching Appearances
Cooper Golden: 5.0 IP, 1 K, 5 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, Win
Paul Coppinger: 2.0 IP, 0 K's, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 ER
Parker Primeaux: 1.1 IP, 2 K's, 4 H, 0 BB, 2 ER
Jake Blackwell: 0.2 IP, 1 K, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 ER
 
McNeese Notes
• McNeese tied its longest winning streak since the 2010 season, extending its longest streak under head coach Justin Hill.
• The 10-game win streak is currently the second-longest in the nation, only behind Austin Peay with 13 straight.
• McNeese is off to its best start in program history at 25-5, besting its prior record of 24-5 in 1991.
• Mack Brousseau leads the squad with 21 straight games reaching base.
• Conner Westenburg sits just behind him with 20 games having reached base.
• Easton Dowell extended his team-leading hitting streak to 10 games.
• McNeese has scored in 29 of 30 games this season.
• McNeese has earned 10+ hits in 18 games on the season.
• The Cowboys have scored two or more runs in 27 games this season.
• Eight of nine starters recorded a hit in the performance.
• McNeese defeated Big 12 opponent Houston Wednesday night on the road.
• Multi-Hit Games: Larry Edwards Jr., Conner Westenburg, Easton Dowell

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