HOUSTON, Texas – The Huskies win the conference home opening series, 2-1, after defeating McNeese in game three, 12-10, at Husky Field on Sunday, April 2^nd.

The Huskies (5-21, 3-3 SLC) were led by freshman right fielder Damian Ruiz who went 3-for-3 with a double, three runs, an RBI, and a walk. Freshman catcher Dylan LaRue went 4-for-5 with three RBIs and a double while freshman third baseman Cash Benavidez went 2-for-5 with two runs, an RBI, a double, and a home run. Junior center fielder Samuel Benjamin went 1-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs, a double, and a stolen base.
 
Senior right-hander Matthew Charles (1-1) earned the win, pitching two innings of relief, with one earned run on two hits. Senior right-hander Javan Smitherman captured his third save of the season, including back-to-back saves, pitching one inning of relief with two hits. Senior right-hander Will Ripoll started the game for the Huskies, pitching four innings, giving up three runs, no earned runs, on four hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
The Huskies got on the board in the bottom of the third inning when Cash Benavidez hit his first home run as a Husky to left field. HCU added two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning starting with a double down the right field line by Tyler LaRue scoring Damian Ruiz. Austin Roccaforte tied the game, 3-3, scoring on an RBI walk by William Jewell. The Huskies took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Ruiz singled to left center scoring Samuel Benjamin. Ruiz tacked on another run off of a Dylan LaRue single to right field. HCU added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, posting five runs, starting with a Benjamin double to center field scoring Benavidez and Jewell. Logan Letney singled up the middle to bring in Benjamin before Ruiz scored on a fielding error by McNeese's Taylor Darden. Letney then scored on an RBI, walk, by Diego Davila. The Huskies added another run in the bottom of the seventh inning when Benjamin sac flied to right field scoring Jewell. HCU's last run came in the bottom of the eighth inning when Dylan LaRue singled to left field scoring Roccaforte.
 
McNeese (18-10, 2-4 SLC) were led by Taylor Darden who went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs, and an RBI. Cooper Hext went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a stolen base while Braden Duhon went 2-for-4 with a run.
 
Christian Vega (2-2) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts of relief for the Cowboys. McNeese used five pitchers in game three.
 
The Cowboys took an early lead in the top of the first inning when Brad Burckel scored on a Cooper Hext single down the left field line. McNeese retook the lead, 3-1, in the top of the fourth inning when Chase Keeton and Taylor Darden scored on back-to-back fielding errors by HCU's Austin Roccaforte. The Cowboys added another run in the top of the sixth inning when Andruw Gonzales scored on a sac fly to center field off the bat of Keeton. McNeese added a run in the top of the seventh inning when Tre Obregon III hit a double to center field scoring Josh Leslie. The Cowboys scored five runs in the top of the eighth inning starting with a Darden single through the left side scoring Braden Duhon. Burckel singled to right field scoring Keeton before Josh Leslie singled to center field bringing in Darden. Hext singled through the right-side driving in Burckel before McNeese scored their final run on a sac fly to right field off the bat of Obregon III scoring Leslie.  
 
The Huskies will continue their home stand at Husky Field for a three-game series against UTRGV. In recognition of Easter Sunday, the games are scheduled to be played on Thursday, April 6^th through Saturday, April 8^th.