Todd Ryals

Baseball Starts Conference with Win

2/25/2017 12:37:00 AM

By: LC Sports Information

Box Score

The Louisiana College baseball team opened its 2017 American Southwest Conference schedule on Friday night with a 7-3 victory over the University of the Ozarks at Billy Allgood Field. The Wildcats will close out their ASC opening series with Ozarks on Saturday with a double-header beginning at 12 p.m.

The game began scoreless through the first inning and a half of play when the Wildcats offense were able to get to Eagles starter Jack Wagoner. With runners at first and second Walt Aldridge found the gap in deep left center field allowing both runners to race around the bases and score to give LC a 2-0 lead in the game. LC had runners at first and third after a single by Duncan Cornfoot, but the 2-run double would be all they would get that half inning, as the next two Wildcats went down on a strike out and ground ball.

Ozarks got on the board in the fourth with an RBI single with 2-out after the runner from second advanced to third on a 6-4-3 double play from the Wildcats, cutting LC's lead in half 2-1. The Wildcats though would answer back in a big way in the bottom of the inning. A Sully Martin single loaded the bases for LC with only 1-out in the inning. After a sacrifice fly from Cojuante McMillan put LC ahead 3-1, Seth Stevens cleared the bases with his second home run of the season, a bomb over the right field wall to put the Wildcats up 6-1 at the end of the fourth inning.

The Eagles answered back with two runs in the top of the next inning on an RBI single through the right side and an RBI groundout later in the frame, to cut the Wildcats lead back down to three runs at 6-3. LC though retaliated in the bottom of the inning and push their lead back to four an a ground ball from Cornfoot that allowed pinch runner Brodie Falgoust to score from third base, putting LC up by the final 7-3 margin with four inning to play.

The top halves of the final four innings were dominated by the LC pitching staff, starter Charlie Waddingham and Austin Thompson out of the bullpen. Waddingham, who got his third win of the season in his third start, already matching last year's total, got a strike out and double play to end his 6.0 innings of work and turn things over to Thompson out of the pen. Thompson came in a threw 3.0 innings, getting strikeouts for eight of the nine total outs during the final three innings. He allowed just three base runners between Ks, on two hits and a walk.

Kiefer Moore went 3-for-4 at the plate, three singles and a triple, and Sully Martin and Deauton Delgado each added two hits and a run scored in the game. Seth Stevens only hit of the game was the 3-run home run in the fourth inning. Charlie Waddingham got his third win of the season going 6.0 innings allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out six along the way.

The Wildcats finish their season series with the Eagles on Saturday with a double-header beginning at 12 p.m. at Billy Allgood Field on the campus of Louisiana College. LC will make their first road trip of the season next weekend as they head to Abilene, TX for a matchup with ASC for McMurry University. That series is scheduled for a double-header on Friday and a single game Saturday. Stay up to date on Louisiana College baseball all season long by following @LC_bsb on Twitter and liking LC Athletics on Facebook.

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