McNeese State used an explosive second inning to run away from New Orleans on its way to a 5-0 victory in the first game of an early weekend Southland Conference series against the Privateers.
The Cowboys (24-9, 14-2) scored all five of their runs in a five-hit second inning against UNO ace Shawn Semple. McNeese starter Austin Sanders worked his first career complete-game shutout.
“Austin threw the ball really well tonight,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “You can’t really say enough about what he’s done. He definitely sets the tone for our team when he’s out there. There’s this comfort feeling our team has when he’s out there. There is no pressure. You know he’s going to keep us in the ball game every time.”
The decisive inning started with a single by Joe Provenzano followed by Shane Selman getting hit by a pitch. Designated hitter Jake Cochran knocked in Provenzano with a single before Mitchell Rogers hit a long double into left field that scored Selman.
Two batters later, Robbie Podorsky grounded into a bases-loaded fielder’s choice that forced in Rogers, and Dustin Duhon rounded out the rally with a two-RBI double that scored Will Fox and Podorsky.
Duhon became frustrated during the at-bat after taking a called second strike, but he remained composed enough to knock it into left-center field and extend the Cowboys’ lead to 5-0.
“It was so awesome because that was very aggravating,” Duhon said. “To be able to come through like that and help us score five runs in an inning was pretty cool.”
The Cowboys didn’t follow the big inning with much offense, garnering three more hits for the remainder of the ballgame.
But that’s all they needed as Sanders (4-2) mowed his way through the Privateers (19-16, 8-8) time and time again. He pitched a complete game for the first time in his career, giving the McNeese bullpen an extra day’s rest.
“That’s the most fun I’ve ever caught,” Duhon said. “That was awesome to have a pitcher like that when they’re locked in. That was awesome.”
Sanders said his fastball did most of the work as he kept it low and forced the Privateers to hit ground balls in high volume.
“That felt good,” Sanders said. “I always wanted to go (a complete game). I had a feeling tonight would be the night.”
That’s as far as Sanders got in interviews before getting a celebration soak of iced water by teammates.
The Cowboys, who won their fifth in a row, limited Semple (5-2) to four innings as the Privateers lost their third straight.
Hill said he hopes getting to the UNO bullpen early will give McNeese an advantage moving forward in the series.
“Any time you can save those guys (in the bullpen) and not show them, that’s what was so big about the five-run inning,” Hill said. “We didn’t have to bring anybody up like Grant Ashcraft or Collin Kober. That was really good.”
Game 2 of the three-game sedries is at 6 p.m. today. Rhett Deaton will be on the mound for the Cowboys.
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