The Cowboys will be riding high when they enter their rivalry game Tuesday night against Louisiana-Lafayette.

McNeese State is coming off a weekend sweep of Oakland and is off to its best start since 2020 at 5-1. 

“We’re excited; it is a rivalry with a lot of history,” McNeese head coach Justin Hill said. “They are a very good team that always brings it when they come here.”

The Cajuns are 4-3 after winning the final two games over No. 23 Nebraska over the weekend. 

It is an interesting game for McNeese, which will open Southland Conference play Friday night against Nicholls. 

“We have some guys who need to pitch, but we can’t sacrifice the weekend for this game,” said Hill. 

The Cowboys have Matt Stancliff to thank for their win Sunday, a 4-3 decision. Stancliff hit a one-out, bases-loaded single to left for McNeese’s second straight walk-off victory.

“I was just trying to get something in the air to score the run,” said Stancliff. “I like the pressure as a player.

         It was the Cowboys’ third straight one-run win over the Golden Grizzlies, who fell to 1-6.

         “This teaches us to stick together until the end,” said Stancliff. 

The fast start in close games means a lot to the coaching staff.

         “We got a chance to see what our team is made of,” said Hill. “This shows our character.”

          Stancliff ripped a shot to the left-field wall for the winning hit off Ryan Uhlenhake (0-1). 

          Braedyn Cunningham (1-0) picked up the victory in relief. 

Stancliff’s hit scored Larry Edwards from third. Edwards, who had two hits, including a triple, started the ninth with a walk. He was bunted to second and then stole third. 

Two batters later, Stancliff won the game for the Cowboys. The loss dropped Oakland to   1-6

Senior left-hander Alexis Gravel was named the Southland Conference’s Pitcher of the Week on Monday.

Gravel, a left-hander from Repentigny, Quebec, struck out a career-high 12 while allowing just two hits over six innings last Friday in a 1-0 win over Oakland on a frigid night.

“It feels great to win no matter what the weather,” said Gravel. “It’s not close to being like being in Canada, but it was cold.”