LAKE CHARLES, La. (Interstat) — The Incarnate Word Cardinals, defying pregame projections, rode a trio of home runs and a dominant combined pitching effort to a 6-2 victory over the McNeese State Cowboys in a Southland Conference matchup Friday night at Sudduth Coliseum.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 4-3 win for McNeese State, giving the Cowboys a 68.3% probability of victory. Instead, the Cardinals improved to 16-17 overall, while McNeese State fell to 15-17.

The most important part of the game was the Cardinals’ immediate response after McNeese State’s early rally. The Cowboys scored once in the first inning and added another in the second, cutting into what had been a quick 2-0 Incarnate Word lead. The Cardinals then delivered a decisive counterpunch in the top of the third. Leadoff hitter Weaver launched a solo home run to left field. After a walk and a caught stealing, catcher Colin Cymbalista connected on a two-out, solo shot to left-center. The back-to-back blasts stretched the lead to 4-2 and stifled the building momentum for the home team.

From there, Incarnate Word’s bullpen took over, extinguishing any hope of a Cowboys comeback. The Cardinals used five pitchers who combined to allow just two runs on eight hits while striking out 11. The star was reliever Chase Blease, who entered in the sixth inning and was overpowering. Blease fired three perfect innings, striking out six consecutive batters at one point and fanning six overall. He earned the win in relief of starter Zac Colletti, who went three innings and allowed both McNeese State runs.

Ashton Perkins followed Blease with two scoreless innings, and Fawster Voytko closed it with a perfect ninth, including two strikeouts. The quartet of Colletti, Blease, Perkins and Voytko did not allow a single hit over the final seven innings of the game.

Incarnate Word built its initial lead in the second inning when center fielder Trent Rucker hit a two-run homer following a walk to Garritano. The Cardinals added an unearned run in the seventh on a two-out error by McNeese State second baseman, and capped the scoring in the ninth on an RBI double by designated hitter Cris Enriquez.

McNeese State starter Cooper Golden took the loss, surrendering four runs on six hits over five innings. The Cowboys managed eight hits, with Stancliff and Barbero each collecting two, but went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and hit into two double plays.

The teams continue their three-game series Saturday.