Stancliff, Cowboys open strong

Published 9:07 pm Friday, February 27, 2026

Taking the momentum of Tuesday night’s upset win over No. 2 LSU, the Cowboys opened play in the Southland Conference the right way.

McNeese used a big night from Matt Stancliff to beat Nicholls 8-1 Friday night in Thibodaux. 

Stancliff finished 5-for-5 with a home run, double, two stolen bases, and scored four runs to lead the Cowboys to back-to-back wins for the first time this season. The second baseman raised his batting average to .485 in the process.

Stancliff and the Cowboys improved to 4-5, 1-0, while Nicholls fell to 4-7, 0-1. The series will continue Saturday at 6 p.m. and end Sunday afternoon.

McNeese starter Cooper Golden had a big game as well. After two rough outings, Golden’s spot as the Friday night starter was in question.

However, the senior left-hander responded with his best outing by far this season. Golden (1-1) went six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and striking out six, while, more importantly, walking just one.

Jake Blackwell threw the final three innings, allowing just one hit while striking out five to earn his first save of the year.

Stancliff hit a 3-run homer in the second as McNeese jumped out to an early lead in the opener of a 3-game weekend series at Ben Meyer Diamond. Stancliff had started the game with a single and scored on Hayden Stringfellow’s bouncer to third, the first of his two RBIs.

Stancliff’s second home run of the season came with two out. His blast was deposited into the new Berm area at Nicholls in right field, giving the Cowboys a 4-0 lead.

The Colonels got on the board in the bottom of the third with a run off a groundout. But after a walk, Golden got out of a jam with a strikeout and a flyout to keep the lead at three.

Larry Edwards got that run back for McNeese in the sixth when he walked, stole second, moved to third on a single, and then scored on Easton Dowell’s roller to second. Edwards beat the throw home for a 5-1 Cowboy lead.

Stancliff scored in the seventh and eighth as McNeese continued to extend the lead.

Nuno Parache (0-2) took the loss for Nicholls. He went six innings and gave up five runs on five hits while walking four and striking out five. 

The Cowboys are expected to start Eric Nachtsheim Saturday. The senior right-hander has been the best pitcher in the early going for McNeese. 

He is 1-0 and not allowed a run in eight innings while striking out 14.