SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The Cardiac Cowboys surmounted their largest deficit of the season to defeat UIW 14-7 at Sullivan Field Sunday afternoon, trailing 7-1 after four innings led by senior Conner Westenburg who went a perfect 4-for-4 in the outing. McNeese baseball extends its nation-leading 12-game win streak for a 27-5 record, 14-4 SLC as the Cardinals drop to 15-24, 2-19 SLC.
 
 McNeese has broken two records this season, the first being its best start in program history at 27-5 with the latter being the longest win streak in program history. Prior to today's victory, the Pokes program record for consecutive wins was 11 games in 1988 and 1989.

The Cowboys are currently tied for first in the standings alongside Houston Christian and Southeastern at 14-4.
 
Early in the first, the squads exchanged blows with a run a piece. Conner Westenburg, a senior, scored the initial run of the afternoon, hitting his seventh triple of the season to score on an RBI groundout. UIW responded with a triple and RBI groundout of their own in the bottom frame. 
 
The Cardinals gained the advantage by a run in the second on an error allowing the runner from second to reach home following a fielder's choice. It became a two-run game as the Cardinals tacked on a run in the third to make it 3-1.
 
UIW scored four in the fourth on an RBI single and a three-run home run to give the Cardinals a 7-1 advantage.
 
McNeese cut into the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning on an RBI triple by Westenburg to bring in senior Grant Mangrum before coming home on a sacrifice fly. Freshman Diego Corrales pitched the first shutout inning of the day to keep the Cardinals at bay.
 
Davis Meche, a graduate student, earned his third hit in the sixth with an RBI single up the middle to send senior Marcus Heusohn across home plate. Shortly after forcing a pitching change, Meche came home one a two-run home run by senior Simon Larranaga to left field, drawing the game back within one at 7-6.
 
The seventh and eighth innings served as an opportunity for the offense to explode with eight combined runs through the two for a 14-7 lead. Sophomore Mack Brousseau hit a three-run homer over the left-field wall to gain the lead as junior Matt Stancliff and Westenburg scored to make it 9-7. Later in the inning with two outs, Heusohn crossed home plate on a wild pitch.
 
Mangrum kicked off the eighth by coming home on a single by Westenburg in the second at-bat of the frame. Three batters later, Heusohn hit the third home run of the game to tack on three insurance runs in the 14-7 ballgame.

Paul Coppinger, a redshirt junior, collected the victory and was one of four pitchers to throw five consecutive shutout innings in the comeback.
 
McNeese finishes out its five-game road trip against third-ranked LSU Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. at Skip Bertman Field.
 
Pitching Appearances
Parker Morgan: 2.0 IP, 0 K's, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 ER
Brady Corcoran: 1.1 IP, 2 K's, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 ER
Diego Corrales: 1.2 IP, 3 K's, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 ER
Paul Coppinger: 1.0 IP, 1 K, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER, Win
Eric Nachtsheim: 1.0 IP, 0 K's, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER
Jake Blackwell: 2.0 IP, 4 K's, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 ER
 
McNeese Notes
• McNeese continues to own the longest win streak in the nation at 12 games, a new program record.
• Conner Westenburg has recorded two triples in two games this season.
• Westenburg has reached base in 22 straight games.
• Mack Brousseau has the longest streak of the squad this year reaching base, getting on in 23 straight contests.
• Easton Dowell extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games.
• McNeese has plated a run in 11 straight games and 31 of 32 this season.
• McNeese has plated 2+ runs in 29 games this season
• The 14 runs ties the most for McNeese in conference play this season.
• McNeese has earned 10+ hits in 20 games in 2025.
• Marks the first time sweeping UIW since the 2022 season.
• Multi-Hit Games: Conner Westenburg, Davis Meche, Marcus Heusohn, Easton Dowell