Baseball Finally Opens 2018 Season

2/14/2018 4:10:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

After a cancelation last week due to rain and weather concerns, the Louisiana College baseball team will finally begin the 2018 campaign this week with a four game set against the Rust College Bearcats from Mississippi. The series is scheduled for two doubleheaders to be played on Thursday and Friday at Billy Allgood Field on the Louisiana College campus. First pitch for Thursday's double is scheduled for 5 p.m. with a 2 p.m. start time slated for Friday.

LIVE STATS

Rust College 0-3

Rust opened their season with a three game series against Loyola (NO), dropping all three contests by a combined score of 30-3, including two 12-0 losses to finish the series. In the opening game of the season the Bearcats scored three runs on six hits but were outdone by a six run four hit effort from Loyola that was helped by four Rust errors. Catcher Larry Kimber when 2-for-3 in the game with an RBI and a run scored. On the mound Joshua Johnson threw a complete game, going 6.0 innings allowing four earned runs on just four hits with one strikeout and three walks. The Wildcats and Bearcats faced off in a four game series last season that saw the Wildcats cruise to wins of 7-1, 18-0, 16-5, and 15-0 to start the season.

Louisiana College 0-0

The goal for Wildcat Head Coach Mike Byrnes is to "find the right combination" on the field in the first few games of the year in order to set the Wildcats up for their American Southwest Conference opener in just two weeks time. The plan is allow some younger players a chance to prove themselves in game situations in order to earn more opportunities through the season.

The Wildcats lost 14 seniors from last year's squad including Friday starting pitcher Charlie Waddingham, southpaw Austin Thompson, and bullpen specialists Austin Taylor and Evan Mativi. The biggest loss out of the lineup will be the bats of right fielder Kiefer Moore and short stop Seth Stevens, both of whom hit over .330 on the season. Making their return to the lineup in 2018 will be and roaming the outfield will be Sully Martin who has the chance to etch his name into the top spot in several individual Wildcat honors by seasons end. Duncan Cornfoot, Deauton Delgado, and Steven Pizano also make the return to the diamond, each with more than 30 starts during the 2017 season.

The Wildcats will implore a pitch by committee strategy through the first few games in an effort to give as many guys a chance to show what they have in the hopes of securing spots in the rotation and the bullpen. Jacob Buchanan, Carson Bolyer, Andrew Robinson, and Hunter Eyre are the only pitchers from last season that made at least one start for the Wildcats that make a return this year. Trey Ducote and Phillip Vidrine each made appearances out of the bullpen in 2017 for the Wildcats, but no starts.

The Wildcats begin the season with four game against Rust College before playing another doubleheader on Saturday afternoon against Loyola (NO), a pair that was originally scheduled for Pineville but moved to New Orleans due to the weather forecast. Stay connected to Louisiana College baseball by following @LC_bsb on Twitter. For general athletics news follow @LC_Wildcats on Twitter or like Louisiana College Wildcats on Facebook.

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