Jordan Meisner

Extra Inning Heartbreaker Spoils Senior Day Sweep

4/21/2018 9:06:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

For the final time in the 2018 season the Louisiana College baseball team suited up in their own clubhouse for a pair of games at Billy Allgood Field. The Wildcats took on LeTourneau University in an American Southwest Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon, splitting the pair with the YellowJackets winning game one 4-2, but falling in extra innings in game two 9-8. The Wildcats travel to Howard Payne University next weekend to close out the regular season.

Game 1

After a bit of a rough start to the game for starting pitcher Deauton Delgado, allowing one run on three hits to start the first, the junior settled into the game and threw four straight hitless innings to keep LETU to just the one run. Meanwhile the Wildcat offense got a spark in the bottom of the third thanks to a leadoff triple from senior Sully Martin. He came in to score on a sacrifice fly to center from Clayton Noakes to tie the game just two pitches in to the bottom half of the inning.

With the momentum on their side and another 1-2-3 inning from Delgado in the top of the fourth, the Wildcats went right back to work in the bottom of the next inning. Martin ripped a single through the left side with the bases loaded to put LC on top for the first time. Noakes followed with an RBI on a hit by pitch, and Delgado got another on a fielder's choice and LC led 4-1 after four innings.

LETU hit an RBI double in the top of the sixth that would prove to make things interesting for the Wildcats in the top of the seventh. A triple and a walk put the tying run on base in the inning and chased Delgado from the mound, giving way to reliever Phillip Vidrine. The junior came in with and got a key out on a pop up to catcher Ty Morgan for the second out, then struck out the final batter on three pitchers to secure the win.

Delgado (4-2) just missed his third straight complete game outing on the mound but still got the win, going 6.1 innings giving up two runs on six hits with seven punch-outs. Vidrine earned his third save of the season, getting the final two outs of the game on eight pitches.

Sully Martin busted out of a slump with a 3-for-4 day at the plate with an RBI, he was the only Wildcat with multiple hits and tied the LC record for career hits in the process. Martin's game one effort would set the stage for a historic day for the senior. Clayton Noakes was 1-for-2 with a pair of RBIs in the game as well.

Game 2

In the second game of the day it was once again the combination of Sully Martin and Clayton Noakes that would lead to the Wildcats first run of the day. A sharp single up the middle for Martin put him on base and atop the Louisiana College baseball record books with his 165 career hit, passing Chase Crump for most all-time. After a steal of second, another base hit, this one from Noakes, put LC on top 1-0 in the bottom of the first.

Still up by a run in the third, the Wildcats took advantage of an error to plate their next run when the LETU pitcher threw the ball into left field trying to get lead runner Brady Atkins on a bunt play. Atkins scored on the miscue and Martin moved up to second. A sharp single from Duncan Cornfoot three batters later brought Martin in for the 3-0 LC lead after three.

The Jackets bounced back with back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth, both with 2-out, that knocked LC starter Blayne Haro from the game. The Cats offense had an answer however in the bottom of the inning after getting some help from the LETU pitching. Three hit batters in the frame loaded the bases for LC and Noakes to get his second sac fly of the day. The Wildcats got another run on a double steal with Martin and Zane Corbell that saw the catcher's throw go into the outfield to put the Wildcats up 5-2 after an exciting fourth inning.

With almost the same formula the teams traded two run frames in the sixth as well, with LC scoring their pair on a clutch 2-out, single to left from Noakes, taking advantage of another LETU error that started the inning. Relief pitcher Phillip Vidrine cruised through the next two innings but began to run out of gas in the ninth, and LETU took advantage. A walk and a pair of singles loaded the bases with no-out and sent the Wildcats to the pen, bringing in freshman Tyler Atkins to try and close out the game. A base hit, fielder's choice, and passed ball in order allowed three runs to come in to tie the game for LeTourneau and force extra innings.

The Wildcats had a chance to win in walk off fashion on the bottom of the 10^th, getting the winning run to second with Martin at the plate. LETU pitched around the senior and loaded the bases but pinch hitter Christian Vandergrift popped out to the catcher to leave the winning run at third. Two hit batters in the top of the 11^th led to what would be the winning runs for the YellowJackets, as they came in on a base hit to center, the only hit of the inning for the visitors. The Wildcats plated one run in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly to right, but needed more from the offense that did not come.

The Wildcats used six different pitchers and 22 position players in the 11-inning marathon. Both Sully Martin and Brady Atkins were 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scores. Clayton Noakes went 2-for-2 with four RBI in the game and Duncan Cornfoot added a pair of hits as well.

The Wildcats are currently on the outside looking in at the final tournament spot in the ASC. With just three games remaining LC is 2.0 games behind Hardin-Simmons University for the final spot, with next week's opponent, Howard Payne University, sitting between them and the Cowboys. HSU will play McMurry University in a three game series that could determine LC's postseason future. 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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