Jordan Meisner

Baseball Inches Past Lobos in Series Opener

3/31/2017 11:50:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score

The Louisiana College baseball team was able to squeeze out a 3-2 win over Sul Ross State University on Friday night at Kokernot Field in Alpine, Texas. The 12-hour bus ride may have had effects on the Wildcats early but, LC found three runs from the fifth inning on and had 13 hits to pick up their seventh conference win of the season, and second in a row. The Wildcats and Lobos will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

The Wildcats had early opportunities to score multiple runs, but were unable to produce the needed hit at the right time. In the top of the first a foul out, ended a bases loaded situation with no runs coming across, and a ground ball double play in the second quickly derailed a two on, 1-out scenario for LC. It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth inning when Sul Ross took advantage of a throwing error from behind the plate that the game's first run would score.

The run by the Lobos sparked LC in the top of the next inning as both Walt Aldridge and Kiefer Moore ripped 2-strike pitches into the left center field gap for back-to-back doubles, with Moore's tying the game. Two batters later a base hit to center plated Moore from third adn gave the Wildcats their first lead of the day.

Sul Ross was able to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth as a run came in to score on a ground ball double play with the bases loaded. A walk followed by a strikeout ended the inning for the Wildcats but the game was tied once again, this time at 2-2. Just as they did two innings earlier, LC answered the Lobos with a run of their own. Deauton Delgado took the first pitch of his at-bat over the left field wall for his second home run of the season, putting LC back on top 3-2.

LC had chances in the eighth and ninth innings to pick up insurance runs, but could not get the timely hit to extend their lead. After a quality outing from starting pitcher Charlie Waddingham, he gave way to Evan Mativi for the final three innings, and Mativi was near unhittable over the final three frames. The Lobos only managed one hit off the reliever, a 2-out double in the bottom of the ninth that put the tying run in scoring position, but Mativi got the next batter to fly out to center to end the game giving the Wildcats and Waddingham the win, and Mativi his second save of the year.

Charlie Waddingham pitched 6.0 innings, allowing two runs, one of them earned, on seven hits with six strikeouts. Mativie pitched 3.0 innings, allowed one hit and struck out four. LC pounded five extra base hits in the game, four doubles and a home run, and four players combined for 10 of the Wildcats 13 hits in the game. Seth Stevens (3-5) and Walt Aldridge (3-3) each had three hits and a double, Aldridge with two, two-baggers, and Deauton Delgado (2-5) and Duncan Cornfoot (2-2) had multi-hit games in the victory.

LC and Sul Ross continues their series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. from Alpine, Texas. The Wildcats return to Billy Allgood Field next weekend for a pivotal American Southwest Conference matchup against conference leader University of Texas at Tyler. The weekend series will also feature the team's annual "Autism Awareness Day" and "Cats Crush Cancer" game. Stay connected to Louisiana College baseball all season at www.lcwildcats.net, following @LC_bsb on Twitter, and liking LC Athletics on Facebook.

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