PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University baseball team found itself down five runs to LSU Alexandria after just two innings, but using clutch two out hits, the Wildcats rallied back to win the series over the Generals by taking the rubber game 10-7 Sunday afternoon at Billy Allgood Field at Legacy Stadium.
 
The Wildcats found themselves behind quickly as a pair of walks to lead off the contest for the Generals helped lead to three LSUA runs coming across in the top of the frame. After LCU had a runner thrown out at the plate during the bottom of the first and came up empty, LSUA extended the lead in the second inning with a two out, two run home run to make it 5-0 Generals after just two frames.
 
In the third inning, the rally began, and it started the trend of the day for LCU as the Wildcats scored all their runs in the contest with two outs. The rally in the third inning started when Alex Ashby was hit by a pitch to give LCU a base runner with two gone. After Keelyn Johnson doubled to move Ashby to third, Ju'Juan Franklin came through with a base hit through the left side that scored both. Nick Brunet also found the hole between third and short to move Franklin up and keep the rally going. That was followed by another base hit through the 5-6 hole by Nicolas Ramos which score Franklin. Ty Morgan followed that with a base hit into left-center which scored Brunet to suddenly cut the deficit all the way down to just 5-4 through three complete.
 
After keeping the Generals quiet in the top of the fourth inning, Alex Ashby again came to the plate with two outs and the bases empty, except this time he decided to get himself home in just one go as he took a pitch down the right field line and over the wall for a solo home run to tie the score at 5-5, making it a new game after four innings.
 
Following a scoreless fifth inning, the Wildcats finished the comeback by taking the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Standing on first base with two outs, Adrian Aguilar took advantage of some mistakes by LSUA's pitching battery, moving to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball, before scoring on another wild pitch as Alex Ashby walked down to first base. Ashby would steal second base to get into scoring position, a move that would pay off as Keelyn Johnson singled back up the middle to score Ashby and make it 7-5 Wildcats after six.
 
LSUA scratched one back in the seventh, but that was answered in the bottom half of the frame. Ty Morgan was hit by a pitch with two outs to get on base, which allowed Beau Freeman to come up and cash in with a two-run home run to left to extend the lead back out to 9-6.
 
The Wildcats added what would become a significant insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning. With Alex Ashby standing on third base with two outs, Ju'Juan Franklin came through with a base hit through the left side of the infield again, scoring Ashby for a 10-6 lead. LSUA scored a run in the top of the ninth and brought the tying run to the plate, but a strikeout shut things down as the Wildcats preserved the win.
 
"We tell the guys if they can believe it's possible, then nothing is impossible and they showed that today," said LCU head baseball coach Mike Byrnes. "Coming back from down five runs by only scoring runs with two outs is tough to ask for, but these boys believed they could get the hits and they made it possible. They fought hard and showed a lot of tenacity today and this weekend. This was a real good way to start play in the new conference."
 
Keelyn Johnson enjoyed hitting against the Generals, going four-for-five on Sunday after going five-of-seven in Saturday's two games. Three of Johnson's hits on Sunday went for doubles with one RBI and a run scored. All told in the three-game series against the Generals, Johnson went nine-for-12 with six doubles, a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. Ju'Juan Franklin also enjoyed a good weekend at the plate, going two-for-four with three RBI, a run scored, and a walk in Sunday's game. Beau Freeman was also two-for-four and hit his first home run of the season which accounted for both of his RBI and his lone run scored. Alex Ashby's fourth home run of the season was his lone base hit of the contest in two at bats, but he also walked twice, was hit by a pitch, stole two bases, and touched home plate four times in the contest. Nicolas Ramos and Ty Morgan also each picked up a RBI in the contest.
 
Cortlynn Ramirez (2-0) didn't have the best of starts in the contest but settled in and earned the win on the mound. He went 6.2 innings and gave up seven hits and six runs, five earned, walked three and struck out five. Dylan Coburn did well in his middle relief role, working 1.2 innings and allowed just one hit and one unearned run, walked one and struck out two. Colten Newsom came on with one out and runners on first and second in the ninth and allowed no hits and no runs with no walks and a strikeout that ended the game to give him his second save of the series and of the season.
 
The Wildcats (8-3, 2-1 RRAC) prepare for their first road series of Red River Athletic Conference play next weekend in Hawkins, Texas at Jarvis Christian. First pitch of Friday's single game against the Bulldogs (2-13, 0-3 RRAC) is set for 1:00 P.M. at the Bulldog Field on the Jarvis Christian campus.