Box Score

The Louisiana College baseball team were unable to complete the sweep of American Southwest Conference foe the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on Saturday afternoon, falling to the Cru 8-6 in the series finale. The Wildcats scored three runs in the ninth to make things interesting but could not complete the come back. LC will have almost a two week break from conference play as they play a midweek doubleheader at Austin College next Wednesday and host Centenary College the following Monday at Billy Allgood Field.
 
For the third straight game, the Wildcats got on the board first in their first at-bat of the game. An error on a ground ball to third kept the inning alive for the Cats as Deauton Delgado reached base safely then stole second and ended up at third after a wild pitch. Duncan Cornfoot deposited a base hit into left field to plated Delgado and put the Cats up 1-0 early. The lead only lasted until the bottom of the inning as the Cru three-hole hitter hit a solo homerun to left center to tie the game at the end of one.
 
Mary Hardin-Baylor took the lead in the bottom of the second on a 2-run single to right center after the runner were moved over on a sacrifice bunt. LC got back within one in the top of the fourth when Konner James brought in Steven Pizano after his leadoff double in the inning. The Wildcats were hoping for more after the base hit, but an rally killing 6-4-3 double play ended the inning with only one run across for LC.
 
The turning point of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Cru were finally able to figure out LC reliever Hunter Eyre. A walk and a homerun to the first two batters of the inning were just the beginning of the nightmare frame for the Wildcats. With the bases loaded later in the inning, with only one-out the Wildcats got a needed groundball back to the pitcher to get the force out at home for the second out. The bases were still loaded when the play of the game occurred as the Cru got a base hit through the right side but two errors on the play allowed three runs to score on the play and make it an 8-2 game.
 
The Wildcats were not able to produce any scoring threats again until the eighth inning when Pizano doubled to left putting runners at second and third. Cullen Guerriero came in to score on a balk, but that was all the Wildcats could manage in the inning. In the ninth however LC was got within just a hit away from tying the game or taking the lead. Two straight hits and a walk loaded the bases for the Wildcats with the top of the lineup at the plate. After a pop fly to first made it 2-out in the inning, Delgado scorched a double to the left field corner that brought in two runs and brought the tying run to the plate. Dustin Brown followed suit with an RBI single to right and all of the sudden LC had the tying run on base. After a pitching change by the Cru, the final out was recorded on a fly ball to right field, leaving the Wildcats just short of an exciting come back.
 
Steven Pizano finished the game 3-for-5 with a run scored, while Deuaton Delgado had a 2-run double to his credit. Duncan Cornfoot, Dustin Brown, and Konner James all had RBI base hits in the game. Carson Bolyer (2-1) took the loss for the Wildcats going 2.0 innings allowing three runs on three hits. Hunter Eyre pitched 2.1 innings in relief giving up five runs on three hits and Trey Ducote threw the final 3.2 innings scattering three hits with two strikeouts.
 
The Wildcats will play a midweek road doubleheader at Austin College, a set that was postponed from earlier in the season due to weather. LC will then host Centenary College on March 19 in a single game at Billy Allgood Field before their next ASC series against Sul Ross State March 23-24 in Pineville. 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.