LAKE CHARLES, La. – The Sam Houston Bearkats fell behind early and could not make up the deficit on Monday night, falling to McNeese, 8-4, at Joe Miller Ballpark.
The Kats (19-16) fell behind 3-0 in the first three innings, but it was a 3-run eighth inning that put it away for good in the Cowboys' (20-16) favor.
Myles Jefferson picked up an RBI triple in the fifth inning to finally get Sam Houston on the board, but the Kats were not able to put up a multi-run inning until scoring twice in the ninth.
Matt Dillard suffered his third loss of the season despite allowing just one run in a predetermined 2.0-inning stint.
Coltin Atkinson and
Steven Beard also got in multiple innings before
Alex Havlicek threw up a scoreless inning of relief in the eighth.
Starter Brett Payne was credited with the win for McNeese despite not going the required 5.0 innings to do so, while reliever Tyler Stone followed him with an effective 1.1 innings of relief.
The Cowboys build their lead on doubles by Reid Bourque and Julian Gonzales in the second and third innings before Jefferson's hit made it 3-1 in the fifth. But McNeese took advantage of some skaky Bearkat defense in the bottom half of the inning to push the lead back to 5-1.
The Kats got a run back in the sixth without the benefit of a hit, but again the Cowboys had an answer, scoring on a pair of infield hits and another error in the seventh to build an 8-2 advantage.
Hits by
Justin Wishkoski and
Carlos Contreras in the ninth gave the Kats some life, but they could only muster a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly by
Easton Loyd and a single by
Trent Touchet for the final margin.
The Kats will have little time for rest as they now head to Waco to battle Baylor on Tuesday night at Baylor Ballpark. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. and will be aired on ESPN+.
