The McNeese Cowboys baseball team defeated the LSU Tigers 7-6 on Tuesday night inside Alex Box Stadium. The loss marks the first of the season for LSU, who now moves to 8-1
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Tigers started with Marcos Paz on the mound. He was able to work his way through the first, avoiding giving up any runs to start the ballgame for LSU.
McNeese countered with Connor Achee. With a runner on second and two outs, he surrendered a mammoth home run from Zach Yorke. That got LSU on the board with an early 2-0 advantage.
Paz would run into issues in the second. A single, two walks, and a hit by pitch contributed to McNeese’s first run. After walking in the run, Paz was lifted and Cooper Williams entered with the bases loaded and two outs. Williams would hit the first batter he faced, forcing in another run and tying the game 2-2. Then, Danny Barbero came through with a two-run single to right, giving McNeese a 4-2 lead.
In the fourth inning, the Cowboys would extend their lead as LSU’s parade of different pitchers continued. Seth Fontenot and Larry Edwards Jr contributed RBI singles as part of a three-run frame as the lead grew to 7-2. LSU had used five pitchers by that point in the game.
In the bottom half of the fifth, LSU was able to chip away at the lead. Jake Brown contributed an RBI single while a passed ball scored another. That made it 7-4 through five innings.
The Tigers would again shave a run off of the lead in the sixth. This time, Derek Curiel delivered a sacrifice fly for an RBI to make it 7-5. The lead continued to dwindle in the eighth. John Pearson launched a solo shot to left, cutting it to just one at 7-6.
In the bottom of the ninth, Brady Corcoran came on to try to get the save for McNeese. He gave up two baserunners. However, he got the final out on a deep fly out to left, securing the win.
BIG NUMBER: 18
This game saw a combined 18 pitchers. LSU used 10, while McNeese used eight. A large majority of those arms struggled to throw strikes, keeping baserunners on throughout the contest.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Jairus Miller
On a night where so many pitchers struggled, Miller gave McNeese a great outing. He tossed three scoreless innings, striking out five while walking only one.
UP NEXT: LSU will remain home to host Dartmouth in a three-game series, beginning Friday at 6:30 PM. McNeese will be on the road to face Nicholls in their opening Southland Conference series, beginning Friday at 6 PM in Thibodaux.