Jordan Meisner

Wildcats Sweep Rust Series

2/16/2018 10:39:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

For the second day in a row the Louisiana College baseball team went to work in two wins over Rust College at Billy Allgood Field. The Wildcats somewhat lackluster pitching performance in game one led to an 18-12 offensive shootout, but the combination of Hunter Parker and Kalen Parker held Rust to just two hits in a 15-0 shutout victory. The Wildcats finish their stretch of six game in three days as they travel to Loyola University of New Orleans for a Saturday afternoon doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.

Game 1

The Wildcats struck first and fast in the bottom of the second inning after a sacrifice fly from Zane Corbell scored the first run of the game, a screaming double down the left field line from Sully Martin three batters later scored Brady Atkins from third. Keelyn Johnson followed with a double of his own to plate Martin and just like that LC held a 4-0 lead.

Rust came storming back in the top of the next inning, tying the game on four hits that were helped along by a walk and a hit batter. The tie game did not last long however, as LC loaded the bases and the Rust pitching staff began to suffer under the pressure of the situation. A hit batter, walk, and a base hit from Martin, all with the bases loaded, plated three runs. Johnson added another sacrifice fly and Duncan Cornfoot reached on an error by the shortshop on a throw to first, but allowed two runs to come across in the process. The Wildcats held the comfortable 10-4 lead after three innings of play.

The Wildcats continued to add to their total in the fourth with five more runs on three hits and another Rust error. Corbell and Atkins each gave RBI singles while Martin and Dustin Brown recorded productive outs with a sac fly and a groundout to third. LC put two more on the board in the sixth on an RBI groundout by Tyler Atkins and Martin coming home on a passed ball.

The Wildcats took an 18-6 lead into the top of the final inning, but could not put the Bearcats away easily, surrendering six runs on six hits with one error. Eventually Kevin Mahl Jr. came in for the final two outs of the game, getting one at the plate after a passed ball and the final out on a strikeout.

Sully Martin finished the game 4-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored. Blaine Ouber was 3-for-4 with an RBI and three runs scored and Keelyn Johnson went 2-for-2 with two RBI and a walk. The Wildcats hit five double in the game including two each from Martin and Johnson. Caleb Nunez got the win for the Wildcats, going 2.2 innings allowing two runs on two hits with three strikeouts.

Game 2

A 2-run double by Keelyn Johnson got the scoring going in the bottom of the first for the Wildcats in the second game of the day, the first of seven extra base hits in the series finale. Deauton Delgado blasted his first home run of the season two batters latter, an opposite field shot down the right field line that gave LC the 4-0 lead after the first inning.

The lead grew to 5-0 in the second on a Duncan Cornfoot RBI groundout that scored Brady Atkins from third. Atkins then grounded out in the third inning to bring in Austin Futrell for another run, and a Cornfoot double to left scored two more runs three batters later and LC was out to a comfortable 8-0 lead. Delgado followed that with a double of his own to make it 9-0 after the first three innings.

Up 10-0 in the bottom of the sixth, several Wildcats newcomers got the chance to step into the box at Billy Allgood Field, some of them for the first time as a college baseball player. Both Reed Sexton and Angel Arredondo delivered the first hits of their careers, each getting an RBI in the process. Arredondo's RBI single serving as the final one of the game giving the Wildcats their 15-0 winning margin.

The second game of Friday had shades of the second game of Thursday as the Wildcats pitching staff dominated the Rust lineup in a shutout win. Hunter Parker made the start in game two and went 4.0 innings of shutout baseball allowing just one hit with three strikeouts. JUCO transfer Kalen Parker threw the final 3.0 shutout innings allowing just one hit with four strikeouts.

Keelyn Johnson had a monster game going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with four runs and four RBI. Deauton Delgado mashed the ball with four extra base hits in the game, three doubles and a home run, to go 4-for-5 with four RBI.

The Wildcats finish their slew of games to open the 2018 season on Saturday afternoon as they take on Loyola (NO) in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. LC will head to Sherman, Texas next weekend for a four game series against Austin College before returning to Billy Allgood Field to open American Southwest Conference play with the University of Texas at Dallas. 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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