PINEVILLE, La. -- Hardin-Simmons' late rally came up just short as the Cowboy football team fell 42-35 to Louisiana College on Saturday in a battle for second place in the American Southwest Conference at Wildcat Field in Pineville.

LC struck first when Easton Melancon scored on a 17-yard throwback from Farron Jones at the 7:59 mark of the first quarter.

HSU answered with a 17-play 84-yard drive and Weston Garner capped it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to senior Trei Lewis.

The Cowboys took a 14-7 lead on a 29-yard pass from Garner to Jimmie Simpson with 11:14 to play in the half.

LC then rolled off 28 straight points to take a 35-14 lead with :35 to play in the third quarter. Austin Carlin scored on a 2-yard run and Ladarius Gardner scored on a 16-yard pass from Melancon with 1:03 to play in the first half to make it 21-14 at halftime.

Austin Cooksey scored on a 1-yard run and Melancon hit Gardner on a 51-yard touchdown pass to make it 25-14.

HSU did not go away. Kerry Sloan scored on a 55-yard run on the first drive of the fourth quarter. HSU went back to punt with 6:50 to play but the kick was blocked and Shaq Lewis picked it out of the air and returned it 10 yards for a score.

Garner answered on the first play of the next drive hitting Lewis over the top for a 65-yard touchdown pass and then after a quick stop Garner hit Lewis again, who broke a tackle and went 68 yards for his third touchdown of the game with 3:29 remaining.

HSU forced another punt and the Cowboys had one last chance with 1:30 to play but turned it over on downs.

The Cowboys rolled up a season-best 549 yards of offense in the game. Garner had his best game of the season going 27-of-43 for 397 yards and four touchdowns. It snapped an 18-game streak without a 300-yard passer for HSU.

Lewis had six catches for 169 yards and three scores and Jessie Ramos had 13 catches. Kerry Sloan ran for 122 yards and a touchdown.

Keaton Trinkle had 11 tackles to lead the Cowboy defense. Beau Brewer had 21 tackles for LC. Melancon threw for a pair of scored and 293 yards for LC.

HSU finished the year with a record of 6-3 and 3-2 in league play. LC closed the year at 6-4 overall and 4-1 in ASC play.

--- www.hsuathletics.com ---