LAKE CHARLES, La. -- Wichita State rallied to take a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning but allowed six unanswered runs as McNeese clinched the series win with an 11-6 victory on Saturday afternoon at Joe Miller Ballpark.
The Shockers (0-2) faced a 5-3 deficit of their own heading to the top of the seventh before flipping the script with a three-run inning.
Camden Johnson delivered the big hit in the inning, a game-tying two-run triple into the right field corner; one batter later,
Kaleb Duncan hit a sharp line drive that was caught by shortstop Easton Dowell, who then tried to double off Johnson but threw the ball away, allowing Johnson to score for a 6-5 Wichita State lead.
Caleb Anderson got the first two outs of the bottom of the seventh, but the Cowboys (2-0) got a game-tying double from Davis Meche that knotted the score at 6-6.
Gannon Snyder preserved the tie on the ensuing at-bat, gunning down Meche at the plate on a base hit from Larry Edwards Jr. to end the inning.
McNeese exploded for five runs in the bottom of the eighth to seize control. Dowell led off the inning with a solo home run off Anderson (0-1) to take a 7-6 lead, then Conner Westenburg doubled the advantage with an RBI triple. After a walk, Simon Larranaga launched a three-run homer off the batter's eye in center field to produce the final margin.
Caleb Strmiska (1-0) slammed the door with two scoreless innings in relief for the Cowboys to earn the win, stranding two Shockers in the top of the ninth.
Wichita State struck first with three runs in the top of the second inning, plating the first run on a Dowell throwing error and two more via a Johnson two-run single. The lead did not last long, however, as McNeese took advantage of three free passes from Wichita State starter
Grant Adler in the home half of the frame to score three runs of their own and tie the game at 3-3. Single runs in the fourth and fifth off Adler gave the Cowboys a 5-3 edge heading to the late innings.
Adler finished with a no-decision, surrendering five runs over 4.1 innings with three strikeouts. McNeese starter Cooper Golden allowed just one hit but three runs over 5.0 innings in a no-decision.
The Shockers and Cowboys will conclude the series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 pm.
