Todd Ryals

Sour Senior Day for Wildcats

4/29/2017 4:53:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information

Box Score

The Louisiana College baseball team closed out their 2017 regular season schedule on Saturday afternoon with a loss to the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, 6-3. The Wildcats saw their early lead disappear as the Cru manufactured some insurance runs to secure the season finale victory. LC finishes the season at 19-20 overall and 9-15 in conference play, and will enter the post season as the No. 8 seed.

The Wildcats started fast in the bottom of the first inning, scoring a run on just three pitches thanks to a lead off single by Kiefer Moore and a double to deep center field that scored Moore all the way from first. After a ground ball advanced Aldridge to third, he came in to score on a passed ball to put the Wildcats up 2-0 early in the game.

The LC lead quickly disappeared though in the top of the second. A dropped third strike to the lead off batter put him at first, and he promptly swiped second base. After a walk, a throwing error at first landed in the Wildcats dugout that advanced the runner from second to the plate for a run, and put runners at second and third. A ground out to short scored the next run and a sacrifice fly to right put the Cru on top 3-2, without getting a single hit in the inning.

A 1-out base hit through the left side in the bottom of the third by Aldridge put the Wildcats eventual tying run on base as he came in to score from second on a base hit to left from Duncan Cornfoot, knotting the game at 3-3 after three. Immediately after tying the game, the Cru bounced back with another run to regain the lead on another sacrifice fly.

LC had a prime chance to tie the game again in the sixth after a lead off double from Seth Stevens, and a balk moved him to third with no one out in the inning, but he was cut down at the plate on a ground ball to short trying to score. The Wildcats still got runners to first and second in the inning, but an inning ending double play thwarted the rally.

UMHB extended their lead in the seventh after a lead off triple and another sacrifice fly, and in the eighth on a solo home run to right center. The last big threat for the Wildcats to jump back into the lead came in the bottom of the eighth inning when two walks and a dropped third strike loaded the bases with 2-out. A lengthy battle at the plate from Steven Pizano ended with called third strike, putting a stop to the Wildcats rally.

Walt Aldridge was the only Wildcats with multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. The Wildcats had eight total hits in the game, but only one after the seventh inning. Charlie Waddingham had another quality start for the Wildcats, but took the loss going 6.0 innings, allowing four runs, just one of them earned, on three hits and six strikeouts.

The Wildcats sit in the No. 8 spot in the ASC standings at the end of the season and will play in the "Blue Bracket" against the regular season champion and bracket host University of Texas at Tyler on next Friday evening in Tyler. Stay connected to Louisiana College baseball by following @LC_bsb or @LC_Wildcats on Twitter and liking LC Athletics on Facebook.

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