Todd Ryals

Wildcats Split Pair with HPU

4/27/2018 3:39:00 PM

By: LC Sports Information - Brad Welborn

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

With the hopes of making the American Southwest Conference tournament laying squarely on Louisiana College sweeping their weekend series with Howard Payne University, and getting help from McMurry University, the pressure was high entering Friday's doubleheader. Unfortunately for the Wildcats a nine walk game and a single 10 run inning eliminated them in the first game of the day as HPU took the opener 10-1. The Wildcats did bounce back for a 6-2 win with a gem on the mound from Andrew Robinson, but there will be no postseason for LC this year. The Wildcats and Yellow Jackets play the rubber game of their series Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in Brownwood, Texas.

Game 1

After two scoreless innings to start the game, with Howard Payne threatening to score both times, the Jackets were finally able to break through in the third inning. Three walks and three base hits through the first seven batters put the home team on the board with a 3-0 lead. HPU didn't stop there with a pair of 2-run doubles later in the frame and another RBI single. By the time the inning finally ended Howard Payne had amassed a 10 run inning and a commanding lead in the game.

The Wildcats only run of the game came in the top of the fifth inning on a mini 2-out rally. Brady Atkins drew a walk then went to second on a base hit by Sully Martin. A Duncan Cornfoot base hit followed Martin's and brought Atkins racing around to the plate from second. The Wildcats picked up another pair of hits in the sixth and seventh innings but were unable to piece together enough to make the come back.

Both Sully Martin and Clayton Noakes went 2-for-4 at the plate in the series opener while freshman catcher Ty Morgan was 2-for-3. Nine total walks by the Wildcat pitching free runners on the bases for the Jackets, a major contribution to the loss. Danny Well threw the final 3.0 innings of the game allowing no runs on just one hit with three strikeouts.

The second game of the day had a much different feel for the Wildcats as they got on the scoreboard first in the top of the first innings. The hot hitting Clayton Noakes ripped a double to left center field that brought Brady Atkins in to score easily from second base, just three batters into the game. The LC lead only lasted until the bottom of the inning however as Howard Payne came back with three base hits to tie the game on a single to left with one out.

It was a 2-out rally in the top of the second that provided the big jump for the Wildcats and propelled them to the win in game two of the day. Back-to-back singles from Zane Corbell and Brady Atkins, the first of which put LC ahead 2-1 and set the table for an even bigger inning. Sully Martin delivered his second triple in as many weeks in the next at-bat to plate two more runs and give LC a 4-1 advantage. Martin raced home on a passed ball to add to the lead and the Wildcats held a strong 5-1 lead after one and a half innings.

With a somewhat comfortable lead to play with, Wildcat starting pitcher Andrew Robinson settled into the game after the rocky first inning. The sophomore proceeded to toss seven straight shutout innings to give his offense a chance to extend their lead. He scattered four hits over that time frame until giving up a pair of singles in the ninth before giving way to the bullpen and Phillip Vidrine for the rest of the inning. Although not a save scenario, Vidrine was able to close out the affair with a strikeout, a fly ball to right that brought in the Jackets only other run, and a ground ball to second.

Andrew Robinson (3-1) picked up the win going 8.0+ innings giving up two runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Six different Wildcats contributed to the hit column in the game with Steven Pizano and Zane Corbell each turning in a 2-for-3 day with three total runs scored. Sully Martin had one hit with three RBIs and a run scored.

The Wildcats and Yellow Jackets will play their final regular season game of the season on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. at Don Shepard Park in Brownwood, Texas. The loss in game one eliminated the Wildcats from ASC tournament contention but LC still has something to play for in the finale. A win on Saturday would give the Wildcats back-to-back 20 win seasons for just the second time in the NCAA era. LC won 20 or more games in a season three consecutive times from 2003 to 2005. 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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