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In a classic back-and-forth battle between bitter rivals, the Louisiana College Wildcats came up with clutch hitting when they needed it to take a huge 7-6 win in their Friday night series opener against the East Texas Baptist Tigers.
 
After the Tigers opened the game with three runs in the top of the first to take an early 3-0 lead, the Wildcats would storm back in the bottom of the second inning to give the team a new life.
 
After the Wildcats loaded the bases with just one out, junior left fielder Kade Van Norman would drive in LC's first run with an RBI groundout to second base. Senior catcher Kyle Feazell then drove in two more runs two batters later, as Cary Myers and Bradley Robinson both came around to score on his RBI single to left field.
 
Junior first baseman Garrett Parsons, who transferred to LC from ETBU after the 2013 baseball season, followed Feazell with an RBI single through the left side that scored Mark Riendeau and gave the Wildcats a 4-3 lead after two innings.
 
After ETBU retook the lead in the top of the third with two runs of their own, LC would answer back yet again as they tied the game at 5-5 when Robinson hit a deep drive off the wall in center field that scored Myers all the way from first base.
 
The Tigers would claim their final lead of the game in the sixth inning when second baseman Conner Combs scored on a passed ball to give ETBU a 6-5 advantage.
 
But the Wildcat bats would have yet another answer in the bottom of the seventh inning when center fielder Jermaine Liggins hit an infield single that brought in Parsons and tied the game at 6-6.
 
Myers would follow Liggins with a bunt single down the first base line that scored Matt Scott from third base and gave LC the lead for good.
 
The LC bullpen was outstanding on the night, as they gave up just one run over 6.1 innings pitched. Freshman right-hander Austin Taylor notched his first collegiate win, as they pitched 2.2 innings out of the bullpen, giving up just two hits and not allowing a run.
 
Sophomore left hander Luke Pinkard, who also transferred to LC from ETBU after the 2013 season, was called on to get the final out of the contest and did just that, striking out Garrett Lakey swinging with the bases loaded to secure the 7-6 win.
 
The Wildcats' magic number to reach the ASC Tournament now stands at one, as a win in either game of Saturday's doubleheader would clinch their spot in the postseason.