McNeese downs LSUA 9-4

LAKE CHARLES — McNeese State exploded for four runs in the bottom of the third inning and earned a 9-4 win over LSU-Alexandria at Joe Miller Ballpark on Wednesday evening.

The visiting Generals (17-18) got things going in the top of the first when No. 5 hitter Brady Fryou, a sophomore from Morgan City, laced a two-out double to  score Bryce Laird, who reached on an infield hit. LSU-A loaded the bases when catcher Thane Lanclos, a Loreauville product, drew a walk from Cowboys starting pitcher Adam Goree and the visitors then went up 2-0 on a single by Zach Hebert, an outfielder from Lafayette.

McNeese (11-18) responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs.  After LSU-A starter Brian Metoyer issued walks to the first two hitters and Jacob Stracner advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt, an RBI groundout by Shane Selman and a single to right by Joe Provenzano tied the game.

Lanclos, who came into the game hitting .262 and tied for the team lead in triples, helped narrow the MSU lead to 4-3 in the top of the third by grounding into a double play to score Blake Garrett from third.

Metoyer (1-1) got the hook by walking three McNeese hitters in the bottom of the third.  The lanky, 6-4, 160-pounder threw hard but had trouble finding the strike zone.  He walked six in only 2.2 innings and tossed 67 pitches.

Reliever Mitchell Gardiner was greeted rudely when McNeese third baseman Carson Maxwell cleared the bases with a double that opened the floodgates.

“The offense came out on fire and that’s something we wanted to do,” MSU head coach Justin Hill said.  “We’ve had some slow starts and the guys wanted to do their part.”

Maxwell went 2-for-4 with four RBI. He also walked once and scored a run. 

The junior from Houston recently was inserted into the leadoff spot by Hill.

“I had been kind of struggling at the bottom of the lineup and coach moved me up to leadoff against (Texas),” Maxwell said.  “He told me in my first at-bat that he didn’t put me up there to work the count and swinging early in the count has been working for me because usually they throw a first-pitch fastball.”

Right fielder Jake Cochran also had a big night (2-for-3, triple, three runs, walk).

Tyler Wesley (2-2) took the hill in the top of the fourth and earned the decision.  Wesley hurled two innings of hitless relief and struck out two.

LSU-A, an NAIA program, began the year 2-13 before going on a hot streak (13-1) in March. 

Wednesday’s game was the first of the season for the Generals versus an NCAA Division 1 program.

LSU-A was led at the plate by Hebert, who went 3-for-4 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI.