McNeese State University’s baseball team split a doubleheader against Houston Christian on Friday in Lake Charles. The Cowboys lost the first game 3-1 but responded with a 4-2 victory in the second matchup, highlighted by Eric Nachtsheim’s complete game performance.
Nachtsheim’s outing was notable as he struck out 16 batters, setting a personal record and marking the highest strikeout total for a McNeese pitcher since Will Dion recorded 19 in 2021. His effort also represented the program’s first complete game since May 23, 2023.
Following these results, McNeese holds an overall record of 8-7 and is now 3-2 in Southland Conference play. Houston Christian stands at 7-8 overall and matches McNeese with a 3-2 conference record. The teams are scheduled to meet again Saturday at 2 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+.
In the opening game, Houston Christian took an early lead when Defazio doubled to right-center field, scoring the game’s first run. The Huskies extended their advantage in the third inning before Hayden Stringfellow put McNeese on the board with an RBI single that brought home Seth Fontenot. Houston Christian added another run late in the ninth inning when Halligan singled to score Rader, sealing their win.
Houston Christian starter Lopez earned his third win of the season while Castano picked up his first save. McNeese’s Cooper Golden took the loss after pitching five innings and allowing two runs on seven hits; he struck out five and walked two. Relievers Jaden Bahl and Brady Corcoran combined for four innings, giving up one run on six hits with six strikeouts.
The second game saw Stringfellow lead McNeese offensively by going four-for-four at the plate with three RBIs and two doubles. He drove in two runs with a double in the first inning to give McNeese an early lead. Marcus Heusohn contributed an RBI double in the fifth inning before Stringfellow added another double later that frame to make it 4-1.
Houston Christian narrowed the gap with a solo home run in the seventh inning, but Nachtsheim finished strong to secure both his third win of the season and evened up the series for McNeese.
The next games for McNeese include another matchup against Houston Christian on March 8, followed by road games at UL-Lafayette on March 11 and Lamar from March 13–15.
Pitchers of Record Game 1:
Winning Pitcher: Lopez (3-1)
Save: Castano (1)
Losing Pitcher: Cooper Golden (1-2)
Pitchers of Record Game 2:
Winning Pitcher: Eric Nachtsheim (3-0)
Losing Pitcher: Caravalho (1-3)
