THIBODAUX – McNeese starting pitcher Cooper Golden was truly golden on Friday night in getting the win in the Southland Conference baseball opener against Nicholls, matching career highs with six innings pitched and six strikeouts while lead-off batter and second baseman Matt Stancliff was just as golden, going 5-for-5 at the plate and coming just a triple away from hitting for the cycle to power McNeese to an 8-1 win over Nicholls.
 
McNeese won for the second straight time and on the heels of its impressive mid-week win over No. 1/2 LSU to improve to 4-5 overall and 1-0 in conference play while Nicholls fell to 4-7 and 0-1 in the league. The series will continue with game two on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. 
 
Stancliff, who hit safely in every plate appearance on the night, came within one hit from matching the school's single-game record of six in a contest, and the first Cowboy with five hits in a game since the 2022 season when Payton Harden did it against HCU.
 
The Cowboys struck first in the top of the first inning when Stancliff singled before stealing second and third base. He was brought in by Hayden Stringfellow who grounded out to give McNeese an early 1-0 lead.
 
Golden was able to hold the Colonels hitless through the first inning to bring the Cowboys back to the plate where Stancliff sent his second homer of the season to right field to bring in three runs to put the Cowboys up 4-0 heading to the bottom half of the inning.
 
Nicholls answered in the bottom of the third when Casey Artigues reached on a fielder's choice to bring in Karson Irvin to get the Colonels on the board with one run.
 
Golden allowed only one hit over his final three innings of work as the Cowboys tacked on an insurance run in the top of the sixth courtesy of Easton Dowell reaching on a fielder's choice to drive in Larry Edwards Jr. to put them up 5-1.
 
In the seventh, Danny Barbero doubled to right center to drive in Stancliff to put the Cowboys ahead 6-1. Stancliff would double down the left field line, followed by walks from Barbero and Marcus Heusohn to load the bases and bring up Stringfellow who singled to center field to score another run.
 
Cowboys were able to put the game away when Edwards Jr. was hit by a pitch to walk in Barbero and put them up 8-1.
 
Senior, left-hand pitcher, Jake Blackwell came in as relief for Golden in the 7^th inning to pitch the final three innings of the game only giving up zero runs, on one hit while walking one and striking out four.
 
Stancliff powered the Cowboys' offense with a flawless 5-for-5 night, crossing the plate four times, knocking in three runs and collecting a double and his second homer of the season.
 
The starter for the Colonels, Nuno Parache, pitched 6 innings while allowing five runs on five hits, four walks and five strikeouts on the way to his second loss of the season.
 
Golden picked up his first win of the season after making his second Friday night start through the first three weeks. He allowed just one run on four hits, walked one and struck out six. Blackwell picked up his first career save as a Cowboy after tossing three innings in relief.
 
Pitchers of Record:
 
Winning Pitcher: Cooper Golden (1-1)
Save: Jake Blackwell (1)
Losing Pitching: Nuno Parache (0-2)

How It Happened:
T1 – Hayden Stringfellow grounded out and scored Matt Stancliff from third, McNeese 1-0
T2 – Matt Stancliff hit a three-run homer to right field, McNeese 4-0
B3 – Artigues reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Irvin, McNeese 4-1
T6 – Easton Dowell reached on a fielder's choice to bring in Larry Edwards Jr, McNeese 5-1
T7 – Danny Barbero doubles to right center to bring in Matt Stancliff, McNeese 6-1
T9 – Hayden Stringfellow single to center field to being in Matt Stancliff, McNeese 7-1
T9 – Larry Edwards Jr. was hit by a pitch to walk in Danny Barbero, McNeese 8-1
 
Up Next
Feb. 28 at Nicholls 6PM*                            
Mar. 1 at Nicholls 2PM*
Mar. 3 at Southern 6PM
Mar. 4 vs LSU-Alexandria
Mar. 6 vs Houston Christian *
Mar. 7 vs Houston Christian *
Mar. 8 vs Houston Christian *

*Denotes Conference Game
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