May 17, 2008

Box Score

by Josh Brown

McNeese SID Intern

Beaumont, TX -

The McNeese Cowboy baseball team lost a heartbreaker here Friday night to Lamar by a score of 11-10 in 11 innings.

The two teams finish up the final SLC series of the year Saturday afternoon at 1 PM.

The Cowboys fall to 13-41 on the year while going to 7-22 in Southland Conference action. The Cardinals improve to 31-21 on the year, 19-10 in SLC play.

Reliever Justin LeBleu was tagged with the loss for the Cowboys, falling to 2-5 on the year while Cardinals reliever Tim Erickson earned his second victory in as many nights over the Pokes to improve to 8-2 on the year.

The Cowboys jumped out to an early 10-0 lead behind a grand slam by Ryan Brauninger and a two-run homerun by Kyle Roth, part of a seven run first inning.

The Cowboys added three more runs in the second inning but were unable to get on the board again.

The Cardinals scored one run in the second inning, two in the third, one in the eighth, six in the ninth and the eventual winning run in the bottom of the eleventh inning.

Winning pitcher Tim Erickson also scored the winning run, as he drew a walk on nine pitches in his first collegiate plate appearance to reach base.

Tyler Link then doubled down the right field line to put runners at second and third before Brian Taylor singled in the winning run for the Cardinals.

The Cowboys collected two hits each from Mace Hebert, Taylor Freeman, Nick Eubanks and Justin Beitzel.

Sam Merrill, Shon Landry, Brauninger, Roth and Keith Patnode each collected on hit apiece.

Brauninger had five RBIs for the Cowboys while Landry and Roth collected two each and Beitzel plating one.

The Cowboys and Cardinals are back in action for the final game of the season Saturday afternoon with a start time of 1 PM.The game will be played at Vincent-Beck Stadium on the campus of Lamar.

Michael Robbins will start on the mound for the Cowboys.