Lake Charles, La. - Blake Ellinger went 4-for-5 including an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning for the winning run as McNeese State defeated Sam Houston 6-5 in the first contest of a three-game Southland Conference baseball series Friday night at Cowboy Diamon.
Third baseman Kevin Miller and left fielder Kyle Singleton both went 2-for-4 to lead Sam Houston as the Bearkats rallied from a 5-3 deficit to tie the game 5-5 in the eighth inning.
Singleton brought in the first Sam Houston run with a single in the second inning. A single by designated hitter Chris Andreas scored Singleton in the fifth inning. Miller brought in runs with a single in the seventh and a triple in the eighth. Miller then scored the tying run on a passed ball.
Two of McNeese's six runs were unearned as the Cowboys scored on Bearkat errors in the second and fourth inning.
Sam Houston starting pitcher Matt Shelton went six innings, giving up seven hits and striking out four. Relief pitcher Michael Oros (0-3) took the loss, working an inning and a third. Michael Burchett finished the game for the Bearkats.
Sam Houston and McNeese will play the second game of the series Saturday with first pitch at 3 p.m.
