McNeese State Picks Up 12-11 Win over New Orleans
McNeese State 12, New Orleans 11
LAKE CHARLES, La. - Jace Peterson and Steven Irvine homered as McNeese State posted a 12-11 victory over New Orleans Wednesday night.
Peterson socked his first home run of the season in a five run first inning for the Cowboys while Irvine hit his fifth of the year in four run fifth inning.
McNeese led all the way but could not put the game away until the final inning. The Cowboys were up 6-3 after three, 8-3 after four and 12-7 heading into the final inning.
Cowboy coach Terry Burrows used six pitchers in the game and none went more than three inings. Ryan Sampere who was the most effective of the relievers, was credited with the victory. He only pitched one inning but it was hitless and scoreless.
Jaden Dillon, the last Cowboy hurler, got a save as he came on in relief of Tommy Luce in the ninth with two men on and the Cowboys now up 12-8.
The first batter he faced belted a home run to make the McNeese cushion only one run but he the next three batters, two on strikeouts.
Freshman Taylor Ducoff had started the game for McNeese and had made an impressive start, striking out five of the first eight batters he faced. However, he ran into trouble in the third inning and wound up giving up three hits and three earned runs.
Matt Click came on and in two innings gave up four hits and four runs before Sampere tossed his hitless inning. Tyler Davis pitched two innings of scoreless ball before giving way to Luce who gave way to Dillon.
McNEese, now 6-5 on the season, had 12 hits in the game, Peterson and Irvine both getting three hits.
UNO, now 3-6, had 11 hits and got home runs from Jerad Comarda and Alan Harris.
Justin Cromartie, the first of six UNO hurlers, was tagged with the loss, his first decision.
Lamar 4, Prairie View 2
BEAUMONT, Texas - Lamar's hitters jumped on Prairie View for six hits and four runs in the first inning Wednesday, and four Cardinal pitchers made sure it stood up for a 4-2 victory in their final tuneup for the 2010 Southland Conference race.
For the second game in a row, Anthony Moore and Aaron Buchanan took the lead for the Cardinals, ripping back-to-back doubles down the opposite outfield lines to force a 1-1 tie. First baseman Ryan Meade followed with an RBI single to break the tie, and catcher Joey Latulippe eventually added a two-run single to end the Cardinals' scoring for the day.
Starting pitcher Jake Henderson of Beaumont Kelly was the benefactor of the early scoring explosion. The junior right-hander worked the first three innings, holding the Panthers to one run on three hits and notched two strikeouts while walking one in earning his first victory as a Cardinal.
Brandon Chambers, Kory Cleveland and Cory Holley all followed Henderson to the mound, pitching two effective innings each. Holley, a senior from Houston Waltrip, struck out the side in the eighth inning, and he recorded a hitless ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.
The victory put coach Jim Gilligan's Cardinals at 11-2 going into their three-game Southland Conference series at Nicholls this weekend. The Colonels have won nine-straight games to improve to 9-3. First game is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Didier Field in Thibodaux, La.
No. 21 Wichita State 8, Central Arkansas 2
WICHITA, Kan. - No. 21 Wichita State used a 12-hit attack to down Central Arkansas 8-2 Wednesday at Eck Stadium.
Wichita State's quartet of pitchers held the Bears (4-8) to just three hits in sweeping the two-game series. The Shockers (9-1) scored five earned runs off UCA starter Clint Green, taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning then added four more off three other UCA pitchers.
UCA scored its two runs without the benefit of a hit as Wichita State starting pitcher Tobin Mateychick walked seven batters in just two innings, including three consecutive to open the third inning. For the game, the Shockers walked 10.
After falling behind 4-0, the Bears put up two runs in the third inning. Chase Huchingson, Ethan Harris and Michael Pair walked in order to start the inning as Logan Hoch replaced Mateychick. Blake Roberts hit into a fielder's choice, scoring Huchingson. Jake Fuller drew yet another walk before Harris scored on a passed ball. Hoch then walked Clay Washington before getting out of the jam with a double play.
The Shockers added a run in the fourth inning on Preston Springer's sacrifice fly and two more in the fifth on a two-run double by Tyler Grimes. Springer added another sacrifice fly in the eighth to set the final. Ryan Jones went 3 for 3 for WSU, while Springer was 2 for 2 with 3 RBI.
UCA's hits came from Huchingson, Michael Marietta and Kyle Prevett.
The Bears host Stephen F. Austin this weekend in the opening series of Southland Conference play. Friday's game begins at 6:30 p.m., with Saturday's set for 4 p.m. and Sunday's at 1 p.m.
Creighton 11, UT Arlington 5
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington team is still in search of its first midweek victory of the season after falling 11-5 to Creighton Wednesday night at Clay Gould Ballpark. Creighton (6-3) used 19 base hits off four UT Arlington (4-8) pitchers while scoring in five different innings.
UT Arlington freshman Sam Hansen (0-1) took the loss in his first collegiate start pitching 2.0 innings and allowing five runs on six hits. Bluejays reliever Mark Winkelman earned the win throwing 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. Creighton starting pitcher Mike Nihsen pitched 4.0 innings and allowed four base hits and one run.
The Bluejays didn't waste time plating three runs in the first inning on an RBI double by Trever Adams and a two-run home run by T.J. Roemmich. Creighton later scored a pair of runs in the second, one in the third, four in the fifth and one in the eighth inning.
UT Arlington had only one base runner reach second base before scoring its first run in the fourth inning on an RBI double by catcher Chad Comer. Freshman right fielder Preston Beck scored the Mavs first run after reaching base with a single up the middle.
Senior designated hitter Steffan Guest extended his career-high hit streak to 13 games with an RBI double down the left field line in the sixth, which scored center fielder Michael Choice, who led off the inning with a nine-pitch walk. Choice had his seven-game hit streak snapped going 0-for-3 with two walks. Choice has now reached base safely in 24 straight games dating back to last season.
UT Arlington scored three runs off three different Creighton pitchers in the ninth inning with four singles and a walk. Jordan Vaughn, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, was the only UTA player in the inning to record an RBI with a single up the middle to score Beck, who reached base with a walk.
Maverick first baseman Shane Hopkins went 2-for-5 while Comer (2-for-4) and Vaughn (2-for-2) each finished with a multi-hit game.
The Mavericks will open Southland Conference competition this weekend hosting Sam Houston State (3-10) for a three-game series at Clay Gould Ballpark starting Friday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
Northwestern State vs. No. 1 LSU, Postponed
NATCHITOCHES, La. - The Northwestern State vs. LSU baseball game scheduled for Wednesday night in Shreveport has been postponed due to the inclement weather conditions in north Louisiana over the past few days.
The game has been re-scheduled for Tuesday, April 20 at 6 p.m. at Fair Grounds Field in Shreveport. The teams will also meet in a regularly-scheduled game on Wednesday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. in Baton Rouge.
"While we're so disappointed that we won't have the game tomorrow night, we want to make sure that the environment here is the best for the players on both teams and the great fans that helped make this a sellout crowd," Captains VP/General Manager Craig Brasfield said. "We're going to continue work our hardest to make this an event that everyone involved will be proud of."
All tickets purchased for Wednesday's game are good for the April 20 game. No refunds will be issued.
The Demons will return to action on Friday when they host McNeese State to begin a three-game Southland Conference series.