LAKE CHARLES — A three-run home run by Kade Morris in the sixth inning lifted McNeese to a 6-4 victory over Stony Brook at Joe Miller Ballpark on Friday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
McNeese put a run on the scoreboard in the bottom frame of the first. With one out, Nick Degennaro hit Brad Burckel with a pitch and then Julian Gonzales reached first on an error which put runners on the corners.
Gonzales then stole second base and Burckel scored on a throwing error.
The Cowboys were unable to plate any more runs as Degennaro managed to strike out two of the next three batters to get out of the jam.
Stony Brook tied the game in the top of the second as Shane Paradine led off by drawing a five-pitch walk and Stanton Leuthner laced a single through the right side. After getting the next two batters to fly out and strike out, Bryson Hudgens gave up a single past the third baseman which scored Paradine.
The Seawolves would add another run in the third as Brett Paulsen led off by reaching on an error. Two batters later, Paulsen would score on a groundout by Leuthner.
The Cowboys tied it up in the bottom frame as Burckel reached on a one-out single and then scored on a Tre’ Obregon single.
Stony Brook retook the lead as the Seawolves plated two runs in the fourth, and Cowboys starter Hudgens left the game after recording just one out in the inning.
McNeese’s bats sprung to life in the bottom of the sixth.
After Gonzales drew a leadoff walk, Peyton Johnson then was hit by a pitch two batters later. Kade Morris stepped in the batter’s box and lifted a pitch over the right field wall for a three-run home run.
The Cowboys added another run in the seventh when Schuyler Thibodaux, who tripled to lead off the frame, scored on a sacrifice fly.
That proved to be enough runs for the McNeese relievers to secure the two-run victory.
BIG NUMBER: 9
Stony Brook had no problems getting runners on the base paths but the Seawolves struggled to bring them home. Stony Brook stranded nine runners on the base paths as McNeese pitchers managed to get out of jams.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: KADE MORRIS
McNeese’s third baseman came up clutch in the bottom of the sixth when he hit a three-run home run over the right field wall. The blast gave the Cowboys a one-run lead.
UP NEXT: McNeese (1-0) will return to action Saturday when it hosts Stony Brook (0-1). First pitch at Joe Miller Ballpark is set for 2 p.m.