Stephen F. Austin State University lost 7-1 to McNeese on May 3 in the final regular season home game at Pilgrim’s Park. The defeat moved Stephen F. Austin to a tie for sixth place in the Southland Conference with a league record of 13-14, with three games left in the regular season.
The loss is significant as it impacts the team’s position heading into the last series of conference play. Both teams are now tied, making upcoming games crucial for postseason positioning.
McNeese started strong with solo home runs in each of the first two innings before Stephen F. Austin responded with an RBI single by Coby DeJesus, who drove in Josh Ibe after his one-out double in the second inning. McNeese added another solo home run in the fourth and extended their lead after capitalizing on a misplayed single that allowed two more runs to score during a three-run frame.
The Cowboys continued their offensive performance with a fifth solo home run, which was Danny Barbero’s second of the day, putting them ahead by six runs late in the game. Dylan Mulcahy pitched five innings for Stephen F. Austin and struck out six batters, allowing all three initial runs via solo homers.
Postgame notes highlighted that Stephen F. Austin finished its home schedule with a record of 15-12—the most home wins since 2017—and recognized individual performances such as Swift’s twenty-first multi-hit game this season and DeJesus leading Sunday’s offense with three hits.
Looking ahead, Stephen F. Austin will conclude its regular season next weekend against UIW in San Antonio over a three-game series scheduled from Thursday through Saturday.
