BATON ROUGE, La. (Interstat) — In a stunning midweek upset, the McNeese State Cowboys weathered a late rally by LSU to secure a 7-6 victory over the Tigers on Tuesday night at Alex Box Stadium.

The Cowboys, entering the game with a 2-5 record and projected as heavy underdogs by national simulators, built a seven-run lead by the fourth inning and relied on a parade of relievers to silence one of the nation’s most potent lineups. McNeese State improved to 3-5, while LSU suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 8-1.

The most critical juncture of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Trailing 7-2, LSU mounted its first serious threat, loading the bases with one out against reliever Jaden Bahl. McNeese State turned to Jake Blackwell, who needed just two pitches to induce an inning-ending double play from Zion Yorke, snuffing out the rally and preserving a five-run lead. That defensive stand proved vital as LSU chipped away late.

McNeese State’s offense, held to just five hits, maximized its opportunities by leveraging walks and hit batters. The Cowboys sent 10 men to the plate in a four-run second inning, capitalizing on free passes. Kade Fontenot was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run, Connor Barbero followed with a two-run single, and another run scored on a hit-by-pitch.

They added three more in the fourth without the benefit of a hit, scoring on a sacrifice fly by Conner Stringfello and an RBI single by Braden Edwards Jr., aided by a throwing error.

LSU’s comeback attempt was anchored by the long ball. Yorke launched a two-run homer in the first inning to initially respond to the Cowboys’ early lead. In the eighth, with LSU down 7-5, Josh Pearson hit a solo shot to left field, bringing the Tigers within a run. They put the tying run on base in the ninth, but McNeese State’s Diego Corrales, who earned the save, struck out Marco Serna Jr. and got Jared Dardar to fly out to left to end the game.

The star for the Cowboys was reliever Jairus Miller, who provided three perfect innings of middle relief. Entering in the second, Miller struck out five consecutive LSU batters and finished with five strikeouts over three innings, allowing no hits or walks. His dominance stabilized the game after LSU’s early homer and allowed McNeese State to build its substantial lead.

LSU used nine pitchers in the loss. Reagan Ricken struck out four over 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and Deven Sheerin finished with 1 2/3 perfect innings, but the Tigers’ early pitching struggles proved too deep a hole to escape.

McNeese State looks to build on the momentum with a three-game series at Nicholls State beginning Friday. LSU continues its homestand, hosting Dartmouth in the first of a four-game weekend set on Friday.