Moving forward
Published 12:31 pm Thursday, February 26, 2026
After beating LSU, Cowboys open SLC play
The Cowboys will look to build off their historic victory Tuesday night over No. 2 LSU this weekend as they open Southland Conference play at Nicholls in Thibodaux.
Just 3-5, McNeese State hopes its win in Baton Rouge could be something to build on after a tough last weekend against Kansas.
“Anytime you beat LSU, it is a big win,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill, who has turned that trick four times in his 13 seasons as a Cowboy. “It’s a big win for our team and for our players. I’m happy for our guys.
“The win is important, but the conference is more important to me.”
That win is now over, and the Cowboys have turned their attention to the Colonels as the league race begins.
“All eyes on Nicholls,” said Hill. “What do we do with this? It can’t be the high point of the season. We still have things to improve on.”
Nicholls is also looking to build on recent success. The 4-6 Colonels have won their last four games, scoring 53 runs in the streak.
“They are a good team that can swing the bats,” said Hill. “We have to throw more strikes. I like our bullpen, but we have to get some innings from our starters.”
The Cowboys are still trying to figure things out in the early going, especially on the mound. They are expected to start lefthander Cooper Golden, who has struggled in his two previous outings.
“We are still trying to figure some things out,” said Hill. “We only get eight games before we start our league, so that’s the way it is for everybody. We are all in the same position.”
McNeese begins a stretch of five games in six days with the first four on the road. It will be a new test for this team, which has played just two mid-week games on the road over the season’s opening two weeks.
Newcomer Hayden Stringfellow has led the Cowboy offense in the early going, getting a hit in all but one of the first eight games. Stringfellow is a junior transfer from Bossier Parish Community College.
He is hitting .409 and has driven in five. Danny Barbaro, a transfer from Butler, tops McNeese with seven RBIs.
Pitching is what the Cowboys are looking for, and right-hander Eric Nachtsheim has led the way there. He is 1-0 with a save in three appearances. He has struck out 14 in his eight innings without allowing an earned run.
Nachtsheim is likely going to move into a starting role. Freshman Jarius Miller, a lefty from Barbe High, threw three innings, allowing just one hit against LSU to get the win.
“We saw that from him in the fall,” said Hill. “It was good to see him come through.”
The Cowboys and Colonels will play the first two games at 6 p.m. before a 2 p.m. start on Sunday.
