March 26, 2006

Box Score

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Chris Fontenot's RBI single scored David Leatherwood in the bottom of the ninth, as McNeese State beat Texas State 5-4 Sunday at Cowboy Diamond in Lake Charles.

Texas State (12-17, 8-4 SLC) suffered its first Southland series loss of the season, while McNeese State (15-9) evened its SLC record at 3-3 on the year.

The Bobcats struck first when Babcock broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning on a two-out solo home run, clearing the Cowboy Diamond scoreboard and putting the `Cats up 1-0.

McNeese regrouped in the bottom of the inning to take the lead, starting with runners on second and third with no outs.

Bryan Cartie pushed a deep fly ball into center for a sacrifice fly, but Cassidy Dresch was unable to play the ball, resulting in a three-base error for Cartie and two Cowboy runs.

Charlie Kingery then reached on a walk, and Cartie crossed the plate when Hart's pick-off attempt sailed over David Wood's glove to put McNeese up 3-1.

Dawid Bednarek led off the Bobcat seventh with a single, and the `Cats attempted to move Bednarek to second with a sacrifice bunt from Thomas Field.

Field's bunt was played by Cartie, who tossed the ball wide of first base, scoring Bednarek and moving Field to third on the two-base error. Field would later score to tie the game when Dresch singled through the left side.

Dresch moved to second on Kyle Jones' sacrifice bunt, but Cowboy reliever Danny Davis slipped a third strike past Wood to end the inning with the score tied at 3-3.

Hart shut down a McNeese opportunity in the bottom of the stretch inning, as the Cowboys put a runner at second with two out. Hart forced Cartie, McNeese's top offensive threat, to fly out to Jones near the right-field line for the inning's final out.

Texas State's eighth started with an infield single by Cody Merrell, and after a Casey Guest strikeout, Bednarek chopped a ball down the third-base line that stayed fair and put runners on first and second with infield singles.

Field then ripped a single through the middle to score Merrell, putting Texas State back on top 4-3.

Shon Landry reached first base on an error to lead off the ninth, which was followed by a sacrifice attempt by Leatherwood.

Merrell fielded the ball but his throw got away from second base and into center field, allowing Landry to score and moving Leatherwood to third.

Leatherwood would later score on the game-ending single.

Merrell finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate, while Bednarek scored once in a 2-for-3 outing. Thomas Field also posted two hits in the contest while scoring and driving in one.

Texas State steps out of conference play Tuesday, when the Bobcats play nationally ranked Rice in a 6:30 game at Bobcat Field.