LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA – The University of the Incarnate Word baseball team lost their Southland Conference series opener at McNeese State University on Friday night, 5-2 at Cowboy Diamond.

The Cardinals (7-11, 1-3) and Cowboys (12-6, 3-1) each had nine hits in the game, but McNeese State was better able to take advantage.  McNeese led 3-2 heading into the seventh inning and then put across a pair of runs.  In the bottom of the seventh, Cameron Toole led off with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice hit and scored on a wild pitch.  The Cowboys tacked on an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning to put the game away.

The Cowboys scored first in the game on a two-run single by Toole in the bottom of the second inning.  The Cardinals got on the board in the fourth inning when Brance Kahle's (Colleyville/Grapevine Faith HS) two-out single drove in Ethan McGill (Penn Valley, CA/Nevada Union HS).

McNeese State added a third run in the fifth inning, but the Cardinals responded in the top of the sixth.  McGill got his third hit of the game in the sixth and he was followed by singles from Christian Divelbiss (Yuba City, CA/Yuba City HS) and Kahle to load the bases.  A wild pitch scored McGill, but the Cardinals could not bring in the tying run.

McGill, Divelbiss and Kahle combined for seven of the Cardinals' hits and Matt Morris (Scottsdale, AZ/Saguaro HS) added the other two safeties.  Kris Looper (Wharton/Wharton HS) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven hits and three runs in five innings.

Toole was the offensive star for the Cowboys going 2-for-3 with a run, a double and two batted in.  Kaleb Fontenot tossed 7.0 solid innings to improve to 3-1 on the season.  He scattered eight hits while allowing one earned run and one walk while striking out six.  Cole Prejean pitched two scoreless innings to close out the game and earn a save.

The two teams are back on the field Saturday for a 3 o'clock start.
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