Fontenot key to success for McNeese in 2015

College baseball is right around the corner as the McNeese State Baseball team prepares for its season opener. Pitching will be one of the major strengths for the McNeese club this season as the Cowboys return 26 of 30 pitching wins and a core of upperclassman that will make an impact on each game.
The squad will look to the leadership of juniors Kaleb Fontenot and Bryce Kingsley who will reprise their roles as weekend starters. The duo combined for 26 starts and 11 victories during the 2014 season.
“I think for a team to be competitive, your pitching has to be one of your best assets,” said Hill. “I truly believe that we have a chance to be successful. We have quite a few guys coming back who are a year older and year wiser. We also have a nice mix of new guys who have adapted really well. I think the pitching staff has a chance to be one of the strengths of our team this year.”
Fontenot, a right-hander who hails from Ville Platte, went 6-2 with a 2.14 ERA and 49 strikeouts over 80.0 innings pitched after transitioning from a reliever into the full-time weekend rotation. A consistent starter on Fridays for McNeese, he posted eight quality starts, including five straight towards the end of the season, and allowed two runs or less in six of his starts.
“Kaleb is someone who really emerged late for us right in the middle of last season,” explained Hill. “He made an impromptu start when we had an injury on a Sunday and it’s one of those deals where he went out and had a good outing. He never relinquished that role as a weekend starter and ended up becoming our No. 1 starter for us. We know that we have a chance to win every time he takes the mound.”
Fontenot began the season on a very positive note, as he picked up the win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff last Friday in his first start of the season. In the 6-5 Cowboy win, Fontenot pitched six completed innings. He gave up one earned run, facing 24 batters. Fontenot struck out eight, walked three and only gave up three hits. He is now 1-0 on the season. McNeese will host Bradley in a weekend series beginning on Friday night.