This Week in Mcneese Athletics

This Week in McNeese Athletics
Wednesday, March 17, 2004 – Softball vs. Baylor – 3 p.m. (DH)
Track and Field @ SLC Championship (UH)
Friday, March 19, 2004 – Baseball @ Nicholls State – 6:30 p.m.
Track and Field @ Florida State Relays
Saturday, March 20, 2004 – Baseball @ Nicholls State – 3 p.m.
Softball @ Texas State – 1 p.m. (DH)
Track and Field @ Florida State Relays
Women’s Tennis vs. Texas – San Antonio – 10 a.m.
Sunday, March 21, 2004 – Baseball @ Nicholls State – 1 p.m.
Softball @ Texas State – 1 p.m.
Women’s Tennis vs. Texas State – 10 a.m.
Foundation news
Tuesday, March 16, 2004-
This year McNeese Athletics has teamed up with Bank One to participate in Christmas in April by sponsoring a house. The organization, a part of Rebuilding Together, has accepted the task of refurbishing 18 homes in the lake area.
Christmas in April is scheduled for Saturday, April 24th. However, since McNeese’s baseball team will be traveling that weekend, they pitched in yesterday by pressure washing the house.
All members of the team including Coach Clement and his assistant coaches came out to lend a hand. The boys not only pressure washed the whole house but moved some heavy aluminum pieces out of the way for the homeowner.
The team had a great time giving back and the homeowner was so overwhelmed by their gesture, she was brought to tears. She made a promise to pray that the team won all of their remaining games.
On April 24th other McNeese student-athletes will be gathering to help finish the work on the house. In the meantime, the athletic department is looking for area businesses and specialized laborers to lend their services to the cause. If you have any questions, contact Kelly McCall in the athletic foundation office at 475-5279.
Baseball News
South Alabama Coca Cola Baseball Classic News
MOBILE, AL - Rusty Begnaud hurled seven innings of seven hit, one run ball as McNeese State turned back Wintrop 7-1 in second day action of the South Alabama Coca Cola baseball classic here Saturday.
Begnaud ran his record to 4-0 on the season as he kept Wintrop under control. The McNeese senior righthander also struckout nine batters. Jacob Marceaux came on to pitch no-hit ball in the eighth inning and Rhett Gulledge finished up with no-hits in the ninth inning, both pitchers striking out two batters in their inning on the mound. McNeese had eight hits in the game as the Cowboys ran their record to9-11 on the season.
The Cowboys scored their runs in the second, fourth, fifth and eighth innings. Dustin Smith led the hit attack with a two for four night while Josh Fontenot drove in three runs.
Softball news
Cowgirls upset oklahoma
Norman, OK.-- McNeese State’s softball team posted a 1-5 overall record at the University of Oklahoma/Worth Invitational over the weekend. McNeese’s only victory was a 5-4 upset win against #6 Oklahoma on Saturday. In that game, McNeese collected 11 hits with four coming from Nicole Edlund. After trailing 3-2 after the third, the Cowgirls took a 4-3 lead in the fourth. That lead didn’t last long as the Sooners tied the game 4-4 in the bottom of the fourth. McNeese scored the game winning run in the fifth and held Oklahoma scoreless for the final two frames. Jessica Denham picked up the victory in relief of starting pitcher Corrie Hale. Denham pitched the final 3 1/3 innings without allowing a hit or a run and struck out four. McNeese dropped the second game of the doubleheader 6-2. McNeese scored two runs in the bottom of the first then was held scoreless for the remainder of the game. Beth Jordan led the Cowgirls with two hits including a double. Mandi Salter also collected the Cowgirls’ only extra base hit with a double.
On Sunday, McNeese dropped a doubleheader to New Mexico by the scores of 5-2 and 4-2. In the first game, McNeese collected four hits and left nine base runners stranded. Salter led the Cowgirls with a 2 for 3 effort. Hale absorbed the loss giving up eight hits while striking out five. In the second game, the Cowgirls committed four errors and allowed three unearned runs. Salter, Rachael Phillips and Tonya Edlund all had one hit apiece. Jana Jones took the loss despite striking out nine.
McNeese (12-22) will host Baylor this Wednesday in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
Track and Field News
track results from uno meet
NEW ORLEANS - Darrik Brown, who is vying for playing time with the McNeese State football team this season, went from spring training on Friday to the track on Saturday for the Cowboys, claiming one of two first places in the University of New Orleans track invitational. The freshman from Kentwood won the long jump competition with a leap of 23-9 and also finished fourth in the high jump with a 6-4 3/4 mark in helping the Cowboys to sixth place in the men's division of the meet. Noelle Leger with a first place in the pole vault paced the Cowgirls who finished fifth in their division.
Alabama State won the men's team title with 116 points while the Cowboys pulled in 58 points. The Cowgirls scored 68 points for their fifth place showing and Troy State was the team winner with 140 points. A total of 13 teams competed in both divisions. "We did a little better than I thought we would," McNeese head coach Russ Buller said. "We didn't use a lot of athletes but this does give us an early indication of what we need to do to get ready on down the line."
Missing the meet because of injuries were pole vaulter Cameron Nott and distance runner Kris Gilmore while Cowgirl distance runner Ruth Waller also sat out the meet.
The Cowboys got two places in the pole vault with Todd Bourgeois taking second at 15-0 and Andre Bertrand fourth at 14-6. Devin Rodriguez, who is redshirting this year for McNeese, won the event at a 15-6 height competing unattached.
Dylan Navarre ran a 10.78 for third place in the 100 meters, James Bailey went 4:04.15 for fourth in the 1500 meters, Brad Augustus was seventh in the 400 meters at 50.18, Phil Winfield ran 1:55.27 for sixth in the 800 meters and Robert Goodwin was eighth at 1:56.40. Also for the men, John Jamail finished third in the shot put at 46-103/4 and Brent Carlin was fourth in the long jump at 22-6 1/2.
Edwin Billot, the team's Southland Conference decathlon champion, participated in the high hurdles and the long jump but did not place in either. He ran a 16.18 in the highs and went 21-2 in the long jump. Besides the first place in the pole vault by Leger, the Cowgirls also got second places from Jennifer Haverin with a 64.2 in the 400 meter hurdles and from Victoria Simon with a 148-3 throw in the javelin. Teri Byrd was third in the shot put at 43-2 1/2 and third in the discus throw at 128-1 while Helen Kibby ran third in the 1500 meters at 4:48.75.
Also for the Cowgirls, Kelly Gram was fourth in the 400 meters at 58.6 and eighth in the 200 meters at 25.86, Melonie White was sixth in the 400 meters at 59.14 and fifth in the 800 meters at 2:19.3, Chantal Fromont was sixth in the 1500 meters at 4:55.63 and Richanne Waddle was fifth in the shot put at 40-5 1/2 and fifth in the discus at 126-8.
golf news
Cowboys in Eighth Place
Springfield, LA - McNeese State's Cowboys held down eighth place in the team standings here Monday after 36 holes of play in the Carter Plantation intercollegiate golf tournament.
The Cowboys posted a total of 608 and was well in back of front running Lamar which totaled 589. La-Lafayette was second with 591, Southeastern Louisiana shot 596 and other scoring had Texas Tech at 598, South Alabama 600, Ark-Little Rock 601, North Texas 605, Denver 615, Southern Miss 616, Eastern Michigan 619 and UT Arlington 622.
The only Cowboy in the top 10 was sophomore D. J. Schexnider who was tied for eighth place with a 148 shot on rounds of 77 and 71. David Callaway (76-76) and Jon Doyle (78-74) were tied for 24th place at 152, Adrien Mork was in 48th place at 77-80--157 and Cory Harris shot 85-79--164.
Lamar's Chris Stroud held the first day lead with a four under 140 total shot on rounds of 71 and 69. Southeastern Louisiana's Steven Tiley was one shot back at 141.
The tournament concludes after 18 more holes of play on Tuesday.
Lisa and Maria Ranked One-Two
HUNTSVILLE, TX - McNeese State's Lisa Westman and Maria Engstrom ranked one-two after 36 holes of play here Monday in the Sam Houston/Waterwood women's intercollegiate golf tournament.
Westman shot a 149 total on the Waterwood National golf club course with rounds of 76 and 73 to hold the individual lead while Engstrom registered a 151 with rounds of 73 and 78 for second place.
As a team, however, the Cowgirls were in third place at 644, trailing host Sam Houston State which shot 629 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi which posted a 630.
Other scoring for the Cowgirls had Janel Bailey shooting 80-86--166 for 21st place, Hollie Renfro 90-88--178 for 40th place and Mary DuBose 101-93--194 for 45th place.
The tournament will conclude after 18 more holes of play on Tuesday.
football news
Football Spring Training
McNeese State was out in full pads for the first time of spring football training on Friday and also got in some scrimmage time.
Cowboy head coach Tommy Tate said that for this being the first time in full pads he was really impressed with the offensive line.
"They are well ahead of last year at this time," he said. "They looked very physical." Tate also singled out the blocking of the fullbacks, running of the tailbacks and passing catching of the wide receivers. On defense, some secondary members and linebackers got mentioned. Quarterback Scott Pendarvis teamed up with transfer Andy Bertrand on a 60 yard td pass on the second scrimmage play and both returning letterman Chris Thomas and transfer Cody Thibodeaux got off good runs from the tailback position as did letterman Brett McPhatter who had a 30 yard gallop.
Letterman Henry Smith showed up well among the receivers and on defense, redshirt linebacker Kenton Alleyne had a tackle for a loss and a pass broken up, Cedric Lars and Lawrence Darby had good plays from the secondary and defensive linemen Brian Smith, Ryan Thompson and Chris Allen made tackles for a loss The Cowboys will return to practice on Tuesday and have a scrimmage set for Friday of next week.
tennis news
Cowgirls Look to Get Back on winning Track
McNeese State's women's tennis team (7-3, 3-1 SLC) will attempt to bounce back from a 4-3 Southland Conference loss at Northwestern State when the Cowgirls travel to Beaumont, TX today to face Lamar (3-6, 1-2 SLC) in a 2 p.m. Southland Conference match. McNeese enters the match having won three of its last four and six of its last eight matches. Freshman Madeleine Hakansson leads the Cowgirls with a 10-0 overall record and 4-0 in SLC play. Juniors Magali Risoleo and Marina Gando both have 8-2 records heading into the match. Following today's match, McNeese will return home this weekend to host Texas-San Antonio on Saturday and Texas State on Sunday. Both matches are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.