April 2, 2008

Box Score

Louisiana-Monroe used three home runs to spark a 9-6 non-conference baseball victory over McNeese State here Wednesday.

The Warhawks collected home runs from Ben Soignier, Dexter Fontenot and Ryan McMillan in an 11 hit attack that sent their overall record to 18-8 on the season. The Cowboys, who fell behind 3-0 in the first inning but then came back to tie the score in the second, had their record go to 8-19.

McNeese will be back in action on Friday, this time traveling to Natchitoches to play Northwestern State in the first game of a three game Southland Conference series. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. The Demons are 7-1 in league play and the Cowboys are 4-5.

Scott Stephen, the second of five Louisiana-Monroe pitchers, picked up the victory while Cowboy starter Jonathan Conrad took the loss.

Stephen, now 2-0, hurled the third and fourth innings, giving up only two hits while walking one and striking out one. Conrad, now 0-4, went four frames and gave up nine hits and eight runs, only five of them earned.

Matt Click, Travis Bailey and Justin LeBleu finished up for the Cowboys. Click pitched two innings of two hit, one run ball and struck out two. Bailey pitched two innings of scoreless, hitless ball and LeBleu finished up with one inning of all zeroes.

The Warhawks got six of their runs in the first three innings and then added three more over the next three. McNeese produced four runs in the second and two in the seventh.

Home runs accounted for all of La-Monroe's runs in the first inning. Soignier belted a solo shot and Fontenot hit a two run homer.

The Warhawks then added a solo run in the second inning with Soignier getting the RBI.

McNeese came back with four runs in the bottom of the second to tie the score. A bases loaded double by Kanon Broussard scored the first two runs and then a triple by Keith Patnode plated the other two.

A triple by Keith Patnode knocked in two Cowboy runs.

In the third inning the Warhawks went back up for good. McMillan blasted a two run homer over the leftfield wall. They also scored two in the fourth and one in the fifth.

McNeese's got two runs in the seventh on a double by catcher Taylor Freeman who extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

Jon Prevost led La-Monroe at the plate with three hits while Soignier, Kyle Suire and McMillan had two each.

Patnode had two hits for the Cowboys as did Bryn Thompson.

LINESCORE

Louisiana-Monroe 312 201 000 - 9-11-0

McNeese 040 000 200 - 6-10-3

Devin Pourciau, Scott Stephen (3), Jordy Poche (4), Kyle Smith (7), Derek Ward (7) and Nick Maragas. Jonathan Conrad, Matt Click (5), Travis Bailey (7), Justin LeBleu (9) and Taylor Freeman. W-Stephen (2-0). L-Conrad (0-4). S-Ward

HR - (La-Monroe) Ben Soignier, Dexter Fontenot, Ryan McMillan.