BATON ROUGE – At least it didn’t end in a conference game.

The longest win streak in McNeese history came to an close here Tuesday night in Alex Box Stadium.

Eighth-ranked LSU, smarting from three straight losses last weekend at Auburn, took out its frustrations on the Cowboys in a midweek battle.

Using a 3-run first to take control, the Tigers (32-6) rolled to an easy 10-3 victory over McNeese, which lost for the first time in 13 games. The loss dropped McNeese to 27-6.

“I thought our guys fought hard and we had some chances,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “We needed one swing early and that could have made things more interesting.”

Jared Jones and Ethan Frey did the most damage for the Tigers. Each had three hits, combined to score five runs and drove in five. 

Frey, a product of Rosepine, was 3-for-4.

“They were able to get the big hits,” said Hill.

Jones set the tone early. His 2-run shot in the bottom of the first off McNeese starter Parker Morgan gave the Tigers the lead for good.

Jones took Morgan (1-1) out just to the right of center field.

Sulphur’s Jake Brown singled in another run moments later to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead after one.

The rally came after McNeese had a chance to take the lead itself. Singles by Matt Stancliff and Mack Brousseau put Cowboys on first and third with one out. 

“A hit early could have changed some things and made it look closer,” said Hill.

However, true freshman Tiger starter William Smith pitched out of trouble with a strikeout of Marcus Heusohn and a roller from Larry Edwards.

Jones made it 4-0 in the second with a two-out RBI single to center.

Heuson and Edwards combine to get Mcneese back in the game in the fourth and chase Schmidt. Heushon doubled, and Edwards homered, his second, to cut the lead in half.

The Tigers then scored four runs on five hits in the fourth to gain some breathing room at 8-4. McNeese scored a run in the fifth and loaded the bases with one out, but LSU reliever Maverick Rizy struck out Davis Meche and Easton Dowell looking to end the rally.

“I thought they won the game and we didn’t lose it,” said Hill.

The win was the 18th straight at home for LSU.

Heusohn and Stancliff each had two hits to lead the Cowboys, who used nine pitchers in an attempt to keep their arms fresh for the upcoming SLC series against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi starting Thursday night at Joe Miller Ballpark.

“I think we will be fine,” said Hill, whose team is tied for first with Southeastern and Houston Christian with a 14-4 league record. “We just have to get home, get some work in and be ready to go.”