Baseball is a game of inches, and it is by that measurement which the Cowboys look to avenge.

With a chance to win three consecutive Southland Conference tournaments, McNeese State missed by a matter of inches.

A play at the plate in the second game of the championship series against Southeastern Louisiana was reviewed for 15 minutes by umpires.

In the end, the call went against McNeese and a night later the Cowboys’ season was over.

Now the defending regular-season champions are back not only to defend their title but also get back those precious inches.

“It digs on you a bit when you think about it,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “(SLU is) not our target. Credit them for what they accomplished.”

The Cowboys were picked to repeat as Southland regular-season champs in a preseason poll of coaches and sports information directors. But the Lions, who were picked second, received more first-place votes.

“That was noticed,” Hill said.

With eight preseason all-league picks — five on the first team — the Cowboys look ready to serve their own notice that the title still runs through Lake Charles.

“We can’t run from it,” Hill said of being picked first. “We have worked for this.”

McNeese will return both the league’s Pitcher and Player of the Year in Grant Rogers and Payton Harden. Both were named to the first team.

Outfielder Payton Harden, last season’s league Player of the Year, highlights the group. Harden hit .378 and his 252 hits are three shy of the school career record.

Rogers was the SLC’s Pitcher of the Year after posting a 7-4 record with a 4.26 earned run average. Jones, a reliever, was 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA in 21 appearances.

Second baseman Brad Burckel, third baseman Josh Leslie and reliever Burrell Jones join Harden on the first team.

Kade Hunter, Branden Duhon and Tré Obregon were selected to the second team.

Burckel hit .373 with 81 hits last year. He finished third in the league in slugging (.618) and on-base percentage (.459) while scoring 62 runs.

Leslie finished last season with a .331 average, six home runs and 33 runs batted in. He was 9-for-11 in stolen bases and will move over to shortstop to start the year.

Duhon, an outfielder, hit .329 with seven doubles and three triples. Hunter hit .282 with seven home runs and 33 RBIs.

Obregon was hitting .357 last spring with two homers and 10 RBIs in 15 games before an injury sidelined him for the season.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on the field and being healthy again,” Obregon said. “We are an experienced team with a chip on our shoulder.”

Obregon’s return gives McNeese a deep and powerful lineup.

“I think our offense has a chance to be a strength,” Hill said.

With closer Cameron Foster gone, the Cowboys will need to rebuild their bullpen.

“I can’t tell you who will throw the back end of games yet,” Hill said. “We will have to figure out the right mix.”

Senior transfer Derrick Cherry, a right-hander from Houston, posted a 4-5 record in 38 appearances over the last two years for the Cougars and could add depth to the staff.

McNeese is looking to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four seasons.

PROJECTED MCNEESE LINEUP

CF Payton Harden 5-9/160 Atascocita, Texas (Atascoita HS)

SLC’s returning Player of the Year is three hits (252) shy of breaking the McNeese career record.

2B Brad Burckel 5-9/180 Lindale, Texas (Houston)

Preseason all-league first-team pick brings a 21-game hit streak into the new season after big 2022 campaign.

DH Tré Obregon 5-10/195 Sallisaw, Okla. (Carl Albert State College)

Smooth switch-hitter is back for seventh season after missing parts of last two years due to injuries.

SS Josh Leslie 6-0/180 Kenosha, Wis. (Mesa, Ariz., Community College)

Moves from third to shortstop after hitting .331 with six homers last year after missing early games with injury.

1B Kade Hunter 6-1/230 Comfort, Texas (Hill, Texas, CC)

Power hitter moves from behind the plate and DH role to first base after strong second half a year ago.

RF Branden Duhon 5-10/165 Moss Bluff (Louisiana Tech)

Came on last year for a big season, hitting .329 with seven doubles and three triples from leadoff spot.

C Andrew Gonzales 5-10/205 Elgin, Texas (Temple, Texas, CC)

Split time last year in part due to injuries, takes bat into starting role full time behind the plate.

LF Cooper Hext 6-2/175 DeQuincy (DeQuincy HS)

He played in 15 games last year with five starts and will be given a shot to win the job thanks to flashes of power.

3B Taylor Darden 6-1/165 Las Vegas, NV (Incarnate Word)

Hit .278 last year for Incarnate Word and should provide solid defense at the hot corner.

Weekend Rotation

RH Grant Rogers 6-7/230 Groves, Texas (Panola, Texas, CC)

Became the ace of the staff last year after transferring and became SLC Pitcher of the Year going 7-4 with a 4.26 ERA.

RH Derrick Cherry 6-1/185 Bayton, Texas (Houston)

Was 2-2 with a save for the Cougars last season after posting a 2.85 ERA in 19 appearances in 2021.

RH Bryson Hudgens 6-4/245 Argyle, Texas (Weatherford, Texas, CC)

He may not be ready until mid-April after Tommy John surgery but if he is the Cowboys staff will be deep.