Alexis Gravel struck out a career-best 12 Oakland Oakland batters Friday to lift McNeese to a 1-0 win. (Kirk Meche/Special to the American Press)
With the temperature hovering in the high 30s Friday afternoon, it makes sense that a pitcher from Canada looked right at home in Joe Miller Ballpark.
Gravel, a left-hander from Repentigny, Quebec, was on his game as McNeese State blanked Oakland 1-0 to open a three-game weekend series. The win improved the Cowboys to 3-1, while the Golden Grizzlies fell to 1-4.
"We knew it would be tough offensively," said McNeese head coach Justin Hill. "We knew the elements would make it tough to score. Alexis was just one for us."
Gravel was in control from the start while picking up his first win of the season. The senior struck out a career-high 12 in six innings, allowing just two hits while walking two.
"It feels great to win no matter what the weather," said Gravel. "It's not close to being like being in Canada, but it was cold."
With high school baseball played in Canada during the summer and Gravel pitching his first two years at a junior college in Texas, this was actually the coldest game he had ever pitched.
"It was different," Gravel said. "You have to have the mindset that no matter the weather, you must be ready to go each inning out there."
The Grizzlies' first hit didn't come until the fifth when catcher Ben Clark beat out a perfect bunt to start the inning. Brandon Nigh's two-out single to right in the sixth was the other hit.
Gravel was unhittable most of the game day, striking out at least two in every inning but the sixth. Gravel finished throwing 90 pitches, 56 for strikes.
"First rule is to throw strikes," said Gravel. "My slider was on point, and I used it with the fastball to be aggressive."
In all, three McNeese pitchers struck out 15, with Sergio Lopez fanning two in the ninth. Lopez worked the final two innings for the Cowboys without allowing a base runner to earn his first save.
McNeese scored the game's only run in the third when Grant Mangrum doubled just inside the line at third to start the inning. It was the first of Mangrum's two hits on the day.
Easton Dowell followed Mangrum one-pitch later with his own double, easily scoring the run.
The Cowboys' only other hit came to start the fourth when Marcus Heusohn doubled to left-center. He was stranded there.
"As long as we score one more run, then that's all that matters," said Hill.
Only twice did the Grizzlies get a runner as far as second base. With two out in the first, Gravel walked two batters but struck out Carter Hain to end the inning. In the seventh, McNeese reliever Parker Primeaux hit a batter, and an error put two runners on with one out.
Dowell then started a nifty double play at shortstop to kill that Oakland rally. The Grizzlies never got another runner on base from there.
"We made a really nice double play there to end that inning," said Hill. "I thought we played a real solid game today."
Oakland starter Hunter Pidek (0-2) went seven innings, allowing three hits while striking out six himself. He did not walk a batter but finished with the loss.