LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — The Southern Jaguars, propelled by a dominant collective effort from their bullpen and an early offensive outburst, defeated the McNeese State Cowboys 6-2 on Tuesday night at Sudduth Coliseum, defying heavy statistical odds.

The Jaguars (6-15) scored four times in the first inning and never trailed, avenging a 14-5 loss to the Cowboys (11-12) from earlier this month. The victory was secured by six Southern pitchers who combined to allow just five hits and strike out 14 batters, silencing a McNeese State lineup that had been projected as a significant favorite.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of McNeese State 5, Southern 2, with the Cowboys holding an 84.5 percent probability to win according to its ELO rating system. The Jaguars rendered those projections irrelevant with immediate execution.

In the top of the first inning against McNeese State starter Parker Morgan, Southern’s Hunter and jr led off with back-to-back singles. After an infield fly, Brant Stewart drove in the first run with a single to left field. Following a groundout, an error by McNeese State first baseman Heusohn allowed another run to score. The Jaguars capitalized fully on the miscue, staking themselves to a 4-0 lead before McNeese State recorded its third out.

The most important sequence of the game followed in the bottom of the first, as Southern starter Myles Dismute set a commanding tone. The right-hander needed just 11 pitches to retire the side in order, inducing two flyouts and a strikeout. Dismute, named the top star for Southern, worked four strong innings, allowing one earned run on no hits. He walked three and struck out three, effectively bridging the game to a nearly untouchable relief corps.

McNeese State scratched out a run in the second on a sacrifice fly by DJ Pinkerton and another in the fourth on an RBI single from Pinkerton, the latter scoring an unearned run following a Southern error. Those were the only blemishes on an otherwise flawless night for the Jaguars’ staff.

After Dismute departed, Caleb Ellis, Alexavier Lebron, Rupert Blackwood jr, and Genesis Prosper combined for five hitless innings of relief. The group allowed just three walks while striking out 11. Prosper was particularly overpowering, striking out four over two perfect innings to close the game, stranding the bases loaded in the eighth inning to preserve the four-run cushion.

Southern added insurance runs in the third and eighth innings. In the third, Stewart notched his second RBI of the night with a groundout, and Ayala followed with an RBI single. In the eighth, jr delivered an RBI double to score Drexler,Ken, who had singled.

Stewart finished 2 for 5 with two RBIs to lead Southern’s six-hit attack. Pinkerton drove in both runs for McNeese State, going 1 for 3. Cowboys reliever Elliott Burrows provided a bright spot with three innings of one-run relief, striking out five.

The win snaps a two-game skid for Southern, which opens a home series against Prairie View on Friday. McNeese State, which had won eight of its last 12, looks to rebound when it hosts Abilene Christian on Friday.