March 20, 2008

Box Score

A first inning three run home run by Taylor Freeman propelled McNeese State to a 6-3 Southland Conference baseball victory over Nicholls State here Thursday night.

Freeman, the fourth batter in the Cowboy lineup, belted a drive over the rightfield fence that drove in Shon Landry and Sam Merrill and gave McNeese a lead it never gave up.

Lefthander Tyler Davis hurled seven innings of seven hit, three run ball to claim the victory, his second of the season, while lefthanded submarine reliefer Justin LeBleu came on in the eighth inning for a save.

The victory was the first in league play for the Cowboys who are now 4-14 overall and 1-3 in the SLC. Nicholls State also now carries the same records. The two teams play another game Friday at 6:30 p.m. and a third game at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Friday's win also snapped a three game losing streak by the Cowboys and extended the Colonels' losing streak to four games.

"It was a good win for us," Cowboy head coach Terry Burrows said. "Tyler pitched a good game and got us deep into the game and then LeBleu came on and got out of a bases loaded jam.

"Of course, that three run homer by Taylor in the first inning was very big."

Freeman led an 11 hit Cowboy attack as he also belted a triple and had three hits in four trips with three RBIs. Sam Merrill was the only other Cowboy with two hits while others driving in runs were Nick Eubanks and Josh Cholley.

After that three run opening inning, the Cowboys went on to score solo runs in the fourth, seventh and eighth innings. Keith Patnode, who singled to lead off the fourth inning, was moved to second on a single by Bryn Thompson, went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Cholley and scored on a wild pitch.

In the seventh, Freeman tripled to right center and scored on a single by Eubanks and in the eighth, a double by Cholley scored pinch runner Andy Riche'.

Seth Webster started and lost the game for the Colonels, pitching 4.1 innings and giving up eight hits and four runs.

In his seven innings on the mound, Davis struck out six Colonel batters. Also, only two of the three runs he allowed were earned.

Tyler Davis went seven innings to earn his second win of the season in a 6-3 Cowboy victory over Nicholls State on Thursday.

LeBleu gave up only one hit and struckout one in his two innings of relief work.

Tops for Nicholls in hitting was Brandt Boudreaux with two hits.

The Colonels scored single runs in the third, fourth and eighth innings. A double by Jordy Toups scored the run in the fourth inning while the eighth inning run scored while McNeese was making a double play.

(linescore) Nicholls State 001 100 010 - 3-8-1 McNeese State 300 100 11x - 6-11-3 Seth Webster, Jake Parrish (5), Drew Erwin (7) and T. J. Mererey. Tyler Davis, Justin LeBleu (8) and Taylor Freeman. W-Davis (2-4). L-Webster (1-1). S-LeBleu HR - (McNeese) Taylor Freeman.