Riding winning wave, Cowboys look for success against last-place Islanders

Published 2:40 pm Friday, April 29, 2022

With nine games remaining in the Southland Conference baseball race, the Cowboys find themselves tied for first place.

Two weeks ago that would have seemed improbable. However, six consecutive conference wins have McNeese State in perfect position to host one of the two postseason mini-tournaments.

The top two SLC clubs will host a four-team, double-elimination tournament with the winners meeting for a title series at the higher seed’s home.

The Cowboys (23-18, 9-6 SLC) are tied with Nicholls State (22-5, 9-6), one game ahead of three other teams. Nicholls owns the tiebreaker after winning the season series against the Cowboys.

“We are in a good position but there is a lot of baseball still to play,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “A lot can happen in three weeks, but when you can control your own destiny it is a good thing.”

Hill knows the Cowboys can’t stumble this weekend when they travel to Chapman Field in Corpus Christi, Texas. They will play a three-game set against the last-place Islanders (20-22, 5-10) starting at 6:30 p.m. today. McNeese has won the last five meetings.

“It’s interesting when you play over there,” Hill said. “The wind right off the water can change things in each game. You have to be ready to do things differently.”

Right-hander Grant Rogers (4-3, 370 ERA) has become the Friday night guy for the Cowboys. Righty Hayden Thomas (4-2, 5.33) will face Rogers.

Left-hander Zach Garcia (4-3, 3.98) will face the Cowboys Saturday against righty Chance Stone (2-2, 3.96). Hill said he hopes Ty Abraham will be ready for Sunday.

McNeese leads the Southland in pitching (3.94 ERA) and is second in hitting (.283). Corpus leads the league in home runs (40).

Shortstop Reid Bourque is close to setting a team record this weekend. The fifth-year senior is one game shy of tying the record for games played at 222. The record is shared by Andrew Guillotte and Joe Provenzano, both of whom played for the Cowboys within the last 10 years. That means Bourque could break the record in Saturday’s Game 2.

“That shows he has been a good player for a long time here,” Hill said. “There has never been a question about him being in the lineup. He is always ready to play, through injuries and everything.”

Hill said he was not sure about the status of second baseman Brad Burckel, who injured his wrist last weekend and missed Tuesday’s game against Louisiana-Monroe. Also, Hill said catcher Andrew Gonzales is nursing a sore hamstring.

“We got some things we have to worry about, and may have to piece things together,” Hill said. “But we will be ready. Everybody is banged up this time of year.”