SUGAR LAND, Texas — The McNeese State baseball team’s trip to the Southland Conference baseball tournament at Constellation Field came to an end Friday afternoon with a 5-4 Houston Baptist win.
Despite a hot start, the top-seeded Cowboys (37-20) struggled to string hits together and get runs across the plate, allowing the Huskies (28-24) to survive and advance.
McNeese took control with two runs on four hits in the first inning, forcing HBU pitcher Daniel Endsley to throw 34 pitches in the process.
But Endsley (3-2, 3.29 ERA) found his comfort zone after that as he pitched 81⁄3 innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits.
“I have to give a lot of credit to their pitcher,” said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. “We came out and ambushed him in the first inning. He settled in and pitched into the ninth inning. A lot of credit to him.”
The Huskies cut McNeese’s lead in half in the second inning with a home run by Tyler Depreta-Johnson, then took their first lead with two runs in the third inning.
HBU extended that lead to 5-2 in the fourth inning with two runs on a pair of hits and a Bryan King error.
King (3-4, 6.55) took the loss after going four innings in which he gave up all five of the Huskies’ runs and eight of their 10 hits.
“Defensively we had some mistakes,” Hill said. “In a tight ballgame, it ended up costing us a little bit. That’s baseball. It’s going to happen, but it’s magnified in the postseason.”
The Cowboys got a run back in the fifth and then another in the eighth, putting them in position to tie the score in the ninth inning.
After a Robbie Podorsky fly out, Dustin Duhon and Ricky Ramirez reached base with singles, but Matt Gallier grounded into a double play that ended the game and marked the end of the tournament for McNeese. Zach Carter earned his second save of the season for the Huskies.
Shortly after the play, Ramirez found Gallier and comforted him, knowing it might be the last at-bat of his collegiate career.
“I told him I love him,” said an emotional Ramirez. “This team, it’s been special, man. All these guys fight for each other. It’s been a good run. Hopefully we get a chance to make it to the next step. It’s fun, and we love each other.”
The Cowboys’ fate rests in the hands of the NCAA Baseball Tournament Selection Committee, which will ultimately decide whether McNeese’s postseason continues. The Cowboys went 1-2 in the tournament.
The tournament bracket will be announced at 11 a.m. Monday on ESPN2.
“I think the team that comes out of here will represent the Southland Conference well, but I think ourselves and possibly Southeastern (Louisiana) have a chance to represent,” Hill said. “Our name’s in a hat, and that’s a good place to be.”
Southeastern was eliminated by New Orleans on Friday, 7-5.
Ramirez finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Podorsky, Gallier and Rogers Mitchell had two hits apiece.
Jack Fitzgerald led the Huskies with three hits, two runs and an RBI. Zane Otten, Jake Pulcheon and Christian Thames had to hits each. Pulcheon drove in two runs.
The teams didn’t meet during the regular season.
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