LAKE CHARLES, Louisiana – HCU battles McNeese for the final conference three-game road series of the season. The Huskies return from an 11-day break after the non-conference series against Nevada was cancelled last weekend. HCU played eight games in a 10-day stretch prior to the rest period including getting swept in their conference series against Nicholls and Northwestern State sandwiched by back-to-back midweek victories capturing wins against #17 Louisiana the day after beating SFA at Husky Field. The Huskies are looking to break a seven-game conference drought after claiming Southland series wins against Southeastern, New Orleans, and Corpus Christi. HCU currently holds a spot in the 2024 Southland Conference Tournament in the 8^th seed, sitting one game clear of Southeastern and two games back of their final two conference series opponents on the schedule, McNeese and UIW. There is six games remaining in Southland play with the bottom four teams (HCU, Southeastern, UIW, McNeese) in the SLC battling for the final three spots in the conference tournament. UIW and Southeastern are matched up for their conference series this weekend in San Antonio.

The Huskies are 13-26 all-time against the Cowboys after claiming the final games in the conference series last season at Husky Field securing a 2-1 series victory. HCU also claimed the final conference series played at Joe Miller Ballpark, 2-1, in the first series against McNeese of the 2022 season before getting swept at Husky Field later that season.

HCU (15-28, 6-12 SLC) is led by Samuel Benjamin leading the SLC with nine home runs, a 1.200 OPS, and a .761 SLG% in conference play while batting .328 average with 24 RBIs, 22 hits, 20 runs and 13 walks. The senior is riding a five-game hitting streak including three multi-hit games notching five RBIs and scoring five runs. In the Huskies previous series against NSU, Benjamin hit home runs in each of the first two games driving in three runs and scoring two of his own. Trevor Roper sits second in the conference with 54 defensive assists on the season and has three multi-hit games in his last four starts while extending his game hitting streak to six games. The junior leads the Huskies with 14 doubles, notching another against the Demons while going 5-for-13 (.384 avg) and adding a pair of RBIs and runs. Driving in a team high 42 RBIs on the year, Tyler LaRue racked up four RBIs against the Ragin Cajun while going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs in game two against Nicholls going 2-for-3 with a double and a run. The senior is top-10 in the conference with 42 defensive assists this year and has tallied hits in five of his last six starts including going 5-for-10 in the final two games of the series against the Colonels.

The Cowboys (25-22, 8-10 SLC) are led by Conner Westenburg hitting .314 average with 37 runs, 35 RBIs, 17 doubles and 16 walks on the season. Cooper Hext is coming off a good series against Corpus Christi going 5-for-9 with a home run, a double, five RBIs and three runs in the final two games of the series. Hext is batting .312 on the year scoring a team-high 41 runs. Braden Duhon also felt the island vibes going 7-for-14 against the Islanders in Corpus Christi adding two doubles with a pair of RBIs and runs scored.

The Huskies will close out a seven-game road stand with a three-game series against McNeese on Friday through Sunday.

Three-Game Conference Series Schedule:
Friday – May 10^th – 6 p.m.
Saturday – May 11^th – 2 p.m.
Sunday – May 12^th – 2 p.m.

Live stats are available at HCUHuskies.com!