McNeese State University - Log Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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Trying to advance the runner, junior Mike Abshire of Lake Charles at- tempts the bunt against the Tigers of LSU. (Photo by G. Edwards) With one home run to his credit, Freshman Keith Greene of New Ibe- ria aims to increase that stat during the April 15 contest with the Green Waves of Tulane. (Photo by D. Smith) 166 Sports

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| j | i In her second season, Coach Cheryl Manuel led the Cowgirls, comprised mostly of freshman and sopho- mores, to a 19-27 season. (Photo by T. Maricle) New Orleans’ freshman Joy Gam- bino rushes to second base for the force out against the Cardinals of Lamar. (Photo by T. Maricle) | Softball 165

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Houston native Jimmy Rickelfsen, the team’s leading base stealer, trots back to second base after an unsuccessful attempt to steal third. (Photo by G. Edwards) Catcher Kenny Miller of Spring, Tex- as, shouts encouragement from the bench during the contest with the LSU Tigers. The Pokes defeated the 12th ranked Tigers 3-2. (Photo by D. Smith) Despite a poor season on the road, beating nationally-ranked teams at home made McNeese baseball fans Catch the Fever The Cowboys went for dis- tance hitting in 1985 and turned the season into a home-run-hitting affair. Not only did the squad set a school record for home runs in a single season but it also set a Southland Conference stan- dard for homers per game. Probably the keynote of the entire year for the Cowboys was the squad's ability to come through against its toughest competition. On two separate occasions they battled nationally ranked teams and won. LSU faced the Cowboy team in early April with a No. 12 ranking nationally, but the Pokes picked off a 3-2 victory. In mid-April Tulane, which had been ranked No. 20, visited for a twinbill. That turned out to be a sweep for the Pokes as they hammered out 19 hits in win- ning 11-6 and 9-6, the victory margin in the latter game com- ing on — what else — a three run homer by Eddie Gueits. Through 38 games, McNeese had blasted out 42 home runs for a SLC record- setting average of 1.1 per- game. Even though the team still had 11 games remaining, there was no chance of col- lecting the SLC single season record of 71 homers, which had been set by Lamar, but the team did have a chance to snap the home runs per game record. Home runs weren't just the product of one player during the year as a total of 11 players got into the act. And, in mia- April, the SLC statistical sur- vey had three of the Cowboys ranked one-two-three in the league's home run derby. Kevin Newkirk was the top producer with eight, while both Dino Pucci and Terry Bond had slapped seven and Eddie Gueits was another step behind with six. Other h ome run hitters on Continued Baseball 167