Palmer Becomes Program's Single-Season Strikeout Leader Friday at McNeese

Friday, May 3

Lake Charles, La.

6:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

21-25, 0

McNeese

24-22, 0

Stephen F. Austin

McNeese

Photo by: SFA Athletics

Palmer Becomes Program's Single-Season Strikeout Leader Friday at McNeese

5/3/2019 8:22:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Junior fans nine in second complete game effort of 2019

By: Charlie Hurley | Director of Athletic Media Relations

LAKE CHARLES, La. - Junior right-hander Alex Palmer became the SFA baseball program's single-season strikeout king by racking up nine in his second complete-game effort of the year, but a pair of unearned runs by McNeese in the home half of the third proved to be the difference in the 'Jacks' 2-0 setback to the Cowboys Friday night at Joe Miller Ballpark.

For the year Palmer now has 85 strikeouts to his credit - three more than Erich Lehmann's 82 that came in the 2007 campaign and stood as the program record for 12 seasons.

SCORING SUMMARY
B3 | The 'Jacks' only error of the game proved to be exceptionally painful as McNeese was able to push across the game's only runs because of it. With one out and a runner at first, Reid Bourque lofted a high fly ball to the gap in left-center. Though Nick Daley had a bead on the ball, it popped out of his glove to put runners on second and third. Following that two-base miscue, Payton Harden drilled an RBI single to Jordan Monacy at first who was unable to get the out there as there was nobody covering the bag. The Cowboys extended their lead to 2-0 when Nate Fisbeck executed a perfect squeeze play by laying down a bunt that brought Bourque home.

AT THE DISH
• Offense was hard to come by for both teams in a game that featured just nine total hits. For SFA, three of its four hits came off the bat of senior infielder Antonio Lima who went 3-for-3. It was his first three-hit game in an SFA uniform.
• Senior infielder Jake Georgiades recorded SFA's only other hit of the game by notching a single in the top of the second.
• The 'Jacks left the bases loaded in the second after Josh Campbell drew a leadoff walk, Georgiades followed with his single and Lima came through with a one-out bunt single. Two of McNeese's six strikeouts on the night would end SFA's threat.
• Lima was thrown out at home on a squeeze play in the top of the fifth inning to keep the shutout bid alive for McNeese.
• Brett Whelton went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Cowboys' five-hit attack.

ON THE HILL
• Palmer (4-6) was the only pitcher the 'Jacks utilized and the junior scattered just the five hits and did not allow a walk.
• For the Cowboys, right-hander Rhett Deaton (6-3) locked up the win by tossing seven frames of four-hit baseball. Deaton fanned four and gave up one walk.
• Peyton McLemore worked his way through the last two frames of the ballgame without allowing a baserunner to earn the save.

ON DECK
• Looking to even the series, the 'Jacks will send junior left-hander and staff wins leader Jacob Stobart to the hill for the middle game of the series Saturday evening. First pitch at Joe Miller Ballpark is set for 6:00 p.m.

-SFA-