LAKE CHARLES, La. — UTSA plated a first-inning run, but it did not hold up, as McNeese State scored five runs in its final three at-bats en route to a 5-1 victory on Friday night at Cowboy Diamond.
The Roadrunners (22-28, 13-15 SLC) wasted junior Casey Selsor's seventh quality start of the season.
Selsor, who gave up an unearned run in the sixth, allowed seven hits and struck out nine before exiting after six frames of work. The San Antonio native, who has not allowed an earned run in his last two outings and last 16.2 stanzas overall, received a no decision after junior Cody Scott (2-5) gave up the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly to left in the seventh.
The Cowboys (25-26, 13-15 SLC) put the game out of reach with a three-run eighth, an inning that was capped off with a two-run home run to right off the bat of Seth Granger.
Phil Parcell (4-4) nearly went the distance for the Cowboys. The southpaw surrendered a run on nine hits and fanned five in 8.2 panels. Jordan LeGros came on to record the final out with the tying run on deck to pick up his 12th save of the year.
Renny Walker led McNeese State offensively with a 3-for-4 performance that included a pair of doubles.
UTSA opened the contest with a run in the first when senior Tyler Carpenter produced a run-scoring single that plated junior Matthew James.
The Birds tried to extend their lead in the top of the sixth, but senior Ryan Hutson was thrown out at the plate after attempting to tag up on a fly out to right by sophomore Ryan Dalton.
The Cowboys finally broke through with an unearned run in the bottom of the inning.
Shea Daly and Taylor Drake reached on back-to-back errors by redshirt freshman RJ Perucki. Two batters later, Jake Ellender singled to left center, which allowed Daly to tie the contest.
McNeese scored the first of its three runs in the eighth on a throwing error by James, who was attempting to turn a double play. After Lee Orr stole second, Granger belted a two-run homer for his third long ball of the spring.
The series continues at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
