0-1
McNeese
1-0
Cowboys edge Kats in extras of 2026 opener
2/13/2026 10:51:00 PM | Baseball
Sam Houston (0-1) took an early lead with a 4-run top of the second and led by as much as 7-2 before McNeese (1-0) plated six total runs in the final four innings of regulation to force more frames, extending it with a 2-out RBI double by Larry Edwards in the bottom of the ninth to score pinch runner Bryce Fontenot from first base. Hayden Stringfellow then delivered a game-winning single off the first-base bag in the 11th for the win.Â
Junior starter Ryan Peterson was in line for the win after striking out six Cowboys over 5.0 innings of work and exiting with a 7-2 advantage, allowing just a pair of solo home runs in the first two innings of work before throwing up three straight zeros to close the night. Freshman Cooper Harris was saddled with the loss in his collegiate debut, despite striking out three in 2.1 innings.Â
The Cowboys used six arms of their own with reliever Eric Nachtsheim getting the win.Â
Offensively, the new-look Kats pounded out a dozen hits against McNeese, led by two hits apiece from Ryan Franden, Hunter Alvord and Ty Marthiljohni. Franden racked up three RBI, getting a 2-out, 2-run single to cap the 4-run second and a 2-out RBI triple to spark a 3-run rally in the top of the sixth.Â
UP NEXT
The Bearkats and Cowboys will square off again on Saturday at The Jeaux. First pitch is set for 2:00 p.m. with the game to air on ESPN+
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Eric Nachtsheim (1-0)
L: Harris, Cooper (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Alvord, Hunter 1 ; Smith, Addison 1
3B: Franden, Ryan 1
RBI: Franden, Ryan 3 ; Fink, Nathan 1 ; Smith, Addison 1 ; Marthiljohni, Ty 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Franden, Ryan 1 ; Alvord, Hunter 1 ; Corcoran, Cade 1 ; Smith, Addison 1 ; Curtis, Jeric 1 ; Martinez, Jace 1 ; Cotton, Caleb 1 ; Marthiljohni, Ty 1
SB: Franden, Ryan 1 ; Alvord, Hunter 1 ; Blackman, Parker 1 ; Martinez, Jace 1 ; Cotton, Caleb 1
CS: Curtis, Jeric 1 ; Cotton, Caleb 1
Batting:
2B: Matt Stancliff 1 ; Larry Edwards Jr. 1 ; Easton Dowell 1 ; Daniel Pinkerton 2
3B: Isaiah Keller 1
HR: Danny Barbero 1 ; Korey Cooper 1
RBI: Danny Barbero 1 ; Hayden Stringfellow 1 ; Larry Edwards Jr. 1 ; Korey Cooper 1 ; Easton Dowell 1 ; Daniel Pinkerton 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Matt Stancliff 1 ; Danny Barbero 1 ; Bryce Fontenot 2 ; Hayden Stringfellow 1 ; Larry Edwards Jr. 1 ; Korey Cooper 1 ; Connor Schneider 1 ; Easton Dowell 1
CS: Easton Dowell 1 ; Daniel Pinkerton 1
PO: Easton Dowell 1
