SU powers past Mcneese

Less than one week removed from a nine-game losing streak, in which they had not won a game in over a month, the Southern University Jaguars’ baseball team won their second straight game, defeating the McNeese State Cowboys 4-3 Tuesday night at Lee-Hines Field. 
Southern (4-9, 1-3) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference) started out slow, striking out nine times with only three hits against McNeese (12-7, 2-1 in the Southland Conference) in the first five innings.
McNeese struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second inning as third baseman Matt Gallier and catcher Cameron Toole began the inning with two singles. Short stop Hans Ask sacrificed Gaillier over to third base and Andrew Guillotte brought him in on a sacrifice fly.
Catching fire in the 6th, the Jaguars heated Cowboy’s starting pitcher Bryce Kingsley up for 3 runs. The offense ignited after Catcher Jose De La Torre broke Kingley’s streak of 10 straight retired batters by leading off the pivotal inning with a double down the left line.
SU left fielder Tyler Kirksey then kept the inning alive with a single to right field, bringing home De La Torre from 3rd base to even the score at 1.
First baseman B.J. Rowry followed that up with a 2-run homer, his first on the year.
A strikeout by third baseman Robinson Mateo ended the vital inning for the Jags, with Kingsley notching his 11th strikeout on the night, a personal career-high.
In the 7th, McNeese scored on a sacrifice fly out by First Baseman Chase Marion, bringing home Han Ask to bring them to within one run of tying the score. McNeese did just that in the eighth, on a solo homerun by designated hitter Lucas Quary. 
Then it was right fielder D.J. Wallace’s turn up to the plate, facing Cowboys relief pitcher Cory Lapeze (0-1). On the first pitch he saw, Wallace blasted a shot over the left field wall, his third of the young season.
An unusual seven pitchers reached the mound for the Jaguars, with Connor Baumgardner (1-1) receiving credit for the win.
Freshman right-handed pitcher Jacob Polk started the game off for SU, being thrust into that role on extremely short notice after the original starter, Harold Myles, did not play due to a violation of team rules that were not mentioned. 
Rafael Diaz closed out the ninth inning, allowing just one hit, to earn his second save on the year.
Up next for the Jags is a trip to North Louisiana as they visit Grambling for a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon.