LAKE CHARLES – The Cardiac Cowboys struck again Friday night as McNeese baseball walked off Northwestern State 5-4 in 10 innings at Joe Miller Ballpark courtesy of an Isaiah Keller sacrifice fly to center field.
Dating back to the 2025 regular season finale, the Cowboys and Demons have now played five straight games decided by one run.
With the win, McNeese improves to 27-23 overall (15-14 Southland Conference), while Northwestern State falls to 25-23 overall (16-13 SLC). The Cowboys will go for the series sweep Saturday while also honoring the senior class prior to first pitch at 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
Northwestern State struck first in the opening inning when Joe Siervo launched a two-run home run to left field to give the Demons an early 2-0 lead.
McNeese answered in the fourth inning as Isaiah Keller doubled down the right field line to score Matt Stancliff and cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Demons added two more runs in the seventh inning beginning with a Brooks Leonard triple to right field that scored Sam Ardoin from first base. Siervo followed with an RBI single to center field to extend Northwestern State's lead to 4-1.
The Cowboys rallied in the eighth inning, plating three runs to tie the game. Easton Dowell started the rally with an RBI double to left-center field to score Korey Cooper. Danny Barbero followed with an RBI double down the left field line before Hayden Stringfellow delivered a game-tying RBI single to center field.
After a scoreless ninth inning, McNeese loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th before Keller lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to score Dowell and secure the series victory for the Cowboys.
Northwestern State reliever Wesley Marien took the loss after allowing one run on two hits over the final 2.1 innings while striking out four.
McNeese starter Eric Nachtsheim delivered another stellar outing, tossing six innings while allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out 11.
With the performance, Nachtsheim increased his season strikeout total to 116, tying former Cowboy pitcher and head coach Terry Burrows for the second-most strikeouts in a single season in program history. He now sits just five strikeouts shy of tying Will Dion's program record set in 2021.
Reliever Paul Coppinger earned his second win of the season after recording the final two outs without allowing a run or hit while striking out one.
Up Next
May 9 – vs Northwestern State
Denotes Conference Game
Indicates Home Game
