LAKE CHARLES – Following an amazing week at the plate, McNeese shortstop Easton Dowell has been voted as this week's Southland Conference Hitter of the Week, the league office announced on Monday.
 
Dowell will carry that award into the Cowboys' Tuesday's non-conference game against Louisiana College. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
 
A sophomore from Arenas Pass, Texas, Dowell hit .571 in four games on the week, including an eye-popping .667 in the weekend series against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. He added a home run, three doubles, eight RBIs and two runs scored and improved on his league-leading batting average to .431 on the season.
 
McNeese will carry a 29-7 overall record into Tuesday's game as it looks to improve on its 21-3 home mark. A win will make this Cowboys' team the fastest to reach 30 wins in a season in school history.
 
Lake Charles native and St. Louis Catholic HS product Parker Morgan is expected to get the start on the mound to make his seventh start and 16 appearance on the year.
 
Following Tuesday's game, the Cowboys will visit UTRGV for a huge conference series beginning Friday. McNeese is currently tied for first place in the league standings with Southeastern at 16-5 with UTRGV just a half-game behind at 17-7.