2024 McNeese Cowboys baseball team

The 2024 McNeese Cowboys baseball team represented McNeese State University during the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Cowboys played their home games at Joe Miller Ballpark and were led by eleventh–year head coach Justin Hill. They are members of the Southland Conference. They compiled a 32–27 overall record and a 11–13 record in conference play to tie for 4th place. Qualifying for the SLC tournament, the 5th seeded Cowboys were 3–2 in tournament play. They defeated 4th seeded Northwestern State 10–5 and 8th seeded Incarnate Word 6–2. The Cowboys were defeated by 1st seed Lamar 9–18 and then defeated Lamar 14–47 to reach the tournament championship game where they were defeated by 2nd seed Nicholls 15–17.

2024 McNeese Cowboys baseball
ConferenceSouthland Conference
Record32–27 (11–13 Southland)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
  • Jim Ricklefsen
  • Mikey Hoehner
  • Miles Durham
Home stadiumJoe Miller Ballpark
Seasons
← 2023
2025 →
2024 Southland Conference baseball standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   PCT W   L   PCT
Lamar ‍‍‍ 17 7   .708 44 15   .746
Nicholls ‍‍‍y 16 8   .667 38 22   .633
New Orleans  ‍‍‍ 14 10   .583 31 26   .544
McNeese  ‍‍‍ 11 13   .458 32 27   .542
Northwestern State  ‍‍‍ 11 13   .458 22 33   .400
Southeastern Louisiana  ‍‍‍ 10 14   .417 30 28   .517
Texas A&M–Corpus Christi  ‍‍‍ 10 14   .417 22 35   .386
Incarnate Word  ‍‍‍ 10 14   .417 26 31   .456
Houston Christian  ‍‍‍ 9 15   .375 18 31   .367
† – Conference champion
‡ – Tournament champion
y – Invited to the NCAA Tournament
As of June 1, 2024[1]
Rankings from D1Baseball

Previous season

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The Cowboys had a regular season record of 35–23 and a conference record of 12–12 finishing in a three way tie for fifth place in conference play. They participated in the 2023 Southland Conference baseball tournament as the sixth seeded team. After winning their first conference tournament game against seventh seeded Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, the Cowboys lost to first seeded Nicholls and defeated second seeded Incarnate Word before being eliminated losing to fifth seeded Northwestern State.

Preseason

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Southland Conference Coaches Poll

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The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 8, 2024. McNeese was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference with 67 votes.[2]

Coaches poll
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Nicholls 126 (14)
2 Lamar 106 (1)
3 New Orleans 92 (3)
4 Incarnate Word 81
5 McNeese 67
6 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 55
7 Southeastern Louisiana 53
8 Northwestern State 42
9 Houston Christian 26

Preseason All-Southland team

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Cooper Hext was named to the conference preseason second team. [2]

First Team

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  • Edgar Alvarez* (NICH, SR, 1st Base)
  • MaCrae Kendrick (NICH, SR, 2nd Base)
  • Ethan Ruiz (LU, SR, 3rd Base)
  • Parker Coddou* (NICH, SR, Shortstop)
  • Miguel Useche (UNO, SR, Catcher)
  • Rey Mendoza* (UIW, GR, Designated Hitter)
  • Mitchell Sanford* (UNO, RJR, Outfielder)
  • Samuel Benjamin* (HCU, SR, Outfielder)
  • Issac Williams (UNO, SR, Outfielder)
  • Jacob Mayers* (NICH, SO, Starting Pitcher)
  • Brooks Caple* (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Hunter Hesseltine* (LU, JR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Gavin Galy* (NICH, RJR, Relief Pitcher)
  • Kanin Dodge (LU, SR, Utility)

*-2023 Southland All-Conference Selection

Second Team

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  • Cameron Crotte (UIW, SR, 1st Base)
  • Austin Roccaforte (LU, SR, 2nd Base)
  • Dylan Mach (UNO, SR, 3rd Base)
  • Jake Haze* (SLU, GR, Shortstop)
  • Bo Willis (NWST, SR, Catcher)
  • River Orsak (LU, SR, Designated Hitter)
  • Garrett Felix (NICH, SR, Outfielder)
  • Cooper Hext (MCNS, SR, Outfielder)
  • Christian Smith-Johnson (TAMUCC, SO, Outfielder)
  • Chase Prestwich (NWST, JR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Isaiah Zavala (UIW, GR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Jacob Ellis (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Jackson Cleveland (LU, JR, Relief Pitcher)
  • Isaiah Zavala (UIW, SR, Utility)

*-2023 Southland All-Conference Selection

Schedule and results

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Legend
  McNeese State win
  McNeese State loss
  Postponement/Cancelation/Suspensions
Bold McNeese State team member
* Non-Conference game
Make-Up Game
2024 McNeese Cowboys baseball game log
Regular season (29–25)
Post-season (3–2)
Southland Tournament (3–2)
Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament record
May 22 vs. (4) Northwestern State (5) Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni FieldHammond, LA 10–5 Zach Voss(2-5) Bryan, Tyler(1-3) None ESPN+ 30–25 1–0
May 23 vs. (8) Incarnate Word (5) Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA 6–2 Alexis Gravel(2-4) Zavala, Isaiah(4-6) Cameron LeJeune (6) ESPN+ 31–25 2–0
May 24 vs. (1) Lamar (5) Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA 9–18 Perez, Andres(3-1) Brock Barthelemy(3-1) None ESPN+ 31–26 2–1
May 25 vs. (1) Lamar (5) Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA 14–4
(7 inn)
Ty Abraham(4-3) Morse, Trhea(4-1 None ESPN+ 32–26 3–1
May 25 vs. (2) Nicholls (5) Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field • Hammond, LA 15–1
(7 inn)
Farley, Dylan(3-2) Zach Voss(2-6) Mone ESPN+ 1,198 32–27 3–2
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Canceled
Bold = McNeese team member
Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.
Schedule Source:[3][4][5][6][7]

Conference awards and honors

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2024 All-Southland Conference team

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Source:[8]
Cooper Hext was named to the conference first team. Cooper Hext, Conner Westenburg, and Cameron LeJeune were named the All-Defensive Team.

First Team

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  • Miguel Useche (UNO, SR, Catcher)
  • Edgar Alvarez (NICH, SR, 1st Base)
  • Isaac Webb (TAMUCC, RJR, 2nd Base)
  • TJ Salvaggio (SLU, JR, Shortstop)
  • Shea Thomas (SLU, SR, 3rd Base)
  • Mitchell Sanford (UNO, RJR, Outfielder)
  • Samuel Benjamin (HCU, SR, Outfielder)
  • Cooper Hext (MCN, SR, Outfielder)
  • Dalton Beck (UIW, JR, Designaterd Hitter)
  • Bryce Calloway (UNO, JR, Utility)
  • Brooks Caple (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Colton Mercer (UNO, JR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Brennan Stuprich (SLU, RJR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Nico Saltaformaggio (NICH, SR, Relief Pitcher)

Second Team

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  • ak Skinner (LU, JR, Catcher)
  • Brayden Evans (LU, JR, 1st Base)
  • Diego Villescas (UNO, JR, 2nd Base)
  • Parker Coddou (NICH, JR, Shortstop)
  • Sebastian Trinidad (TAMUCC, SR, 3rd Base)
  • Reese Lipoma (NWST, JR, Outfielder)
  • Basiel Williams (NICH, RSR, Outfielder)
  • Cameron Caley (UIW, SR, Outfielder)
  • River Orsak (LU, SR, Designaterd Hitter)
  • Drake Anderson (NICH, JR, Utility)
  • Matthew Watson (TAMUCC, RJR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Jacob Ellis (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Hunter Hesseltine (LU, JR, Starting Pitcher)
  • Caleb Bunch (NWST, JR, Relief Pitcher)

2024 All-Southland Defensive team

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  • Miguel Useche (UNO, JR, Catcher)
  • Edgar Alvarez (NICH, SR, 1st Base)
  • Dalton Hurst (UNO, JR, 2nd Base)
  • Kanin Dodge (LU, SR, Shortstop)
  • Rocco Gump (NWST, JR, 3rd Base)
  • Cooper Hext (MCN, SR, Left Fielder)
  • Conner Westenburg (MCN, JR, Center Fielder)
  • Mitchell Sanford (UNO, SR, Right Fielder)
  • Cameron LeJeune (MCN, RJR, Pitcher)

Weekly awards

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Weekly honors
Honors Player Position Date Awarded Ref.
SLC Hitter of the Week Conner Westenburg OF February 26, 2024 [9]
SLC Hitter of the Week Simon Larranaga IF/DH May 6, 2024 [10]
SLC Pitcher of the Week Cameron LeJeune RHP May 20, 2024 [11]

See also

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2024 McNeese Cowgirls softball team

References

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  1. ^ "2024 Southland Conference Baseball Standings". southland.org. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  2. ^ a b James Hill (February 8, 2024). "Nicholls Chosen to Repeat at Southland Baseball Champions; Preseason All-Conference Team Released". Southland Conference. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  3. ^ Taylor Riemersma (November 22, 2023). "McNeese announces schedule for 2024 baseball campaign". Crescent City Sports Enterprises LLC. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  4. ^ Taylor Riemersma (November 22, 2023). "Baseball announces schedule for 2024 campaign". McNeese State University Athletics. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "2024 Baseball Schedule". Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  6. ^ "DIBASEBALL.COM TOP 25". NCAA.com. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  7. ^ Phil Stratton (September 25, 2023). "Extra Bases - 2024 Team Schedules". College Baseball Insider. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
  8. ^ James Hill (May 21, 2024). "Southland Conference Announces 2024 Baseball Awards, All-Conference, and All-Defensive Teams". Southland Conference. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  9. ^ James Hill (February 26, 2024). "McNeese's Westenburg, Lamar's Caple Named Jersey Mike's Baseball Players of the Week". Retrieved March 1, 2024.
  10. ^ James Hill (May 6, 2024). "McNeese's Larranaga, Nicholls' Saltaformaggio Named Jersey Mike's Southland Baseball Players of the Week". Retrieved May 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Anthony Goss (May 20, 2024). "SLU's Coley, McNeese's LeJeune take home final Jersey Mike's SLC Baseball Player of the Week awards of the season". Retrieved May 25, 2024.