PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University baseball team completed the task of proving it was the top Wildcat in the Red River Athletic Conference, finishing off the series sweep over the Wiley Wildcats by taking both games of the doubleheader, 9-0 and 11-6, Saturday afternoon at Billy Allgood Field at Legacy Stadium.
 
Game 1 – Wiley 0, Louisiana Christian 9
 
After working around a one-out single in the top of the first by getting a pair of fielder's choice outs right after, LCU took no time establishing a big lead. A walk, double, and hit batter loaded the bases right out of the gate, just in time for a pitch to get by the Wiley catcher, allowing everyone to move up, including Adrian Aguilar to come home from third to put LCU ahead to stay. With the bases reloaded and one out, Haydon Helms fit a base hit between the foul line and the Wiley first baseman for a base hit, scoring both Alex Ashby and Keelyn Johnson. Peyton Lamartiniere followed that by also going to the right side as he dropped a two-out base hit into right field to score Nick Brunet from third to make the score 4-0 LCU after just one inning of play.
 
The next two innings went by silently before LCU extended the lead in the fourth. Ty Morgan was hit by a pitch and Dru Scully replaced him on the base paths. Scully moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third, and then he came home on Adrian Aguilar's ground ball to shortstop, giving LCU a 5-0 lead.
 
With the outs running low in the seven-inning contest, LCU put the game away in the bottom of the sixth by plating four more runs, the final two of which with some emphasis. With Nicolas Ramos on first following a lead-off, pinch hit walk, Adrian Aguilar came up with one out and found the right-center gap for a double, allowing Ramos to race all the way around from first to score. With the bases empty, Alex Ashby started a big two-out rally as he drove a hit down the third base line and beat out the throw. After Ashby stole second, Keelyn Johnson sent a base hit through the right side of the infield to score Ashby. But that was only a setup for Ju'Juan Franklin, who drove a pitch through a stiff wind blowing in at 15 miles per hour and got it over the left-center wall for a two-run home run for the game's final runs.
 
Alex Ashby enjoyed a good game at the plate, going three-for-four with two doubles, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Ju'Juan Franklin went two-for-four, including his Red River Athletic Conference-leading 13^th home run of the season which accounted for both of his RBI and his lone run scored in the game. Adrian Aguilar went one-for-three with a double, a walk, two RBI, and a run scored. Keelyn Johnson was also one-for-three as he was also hit by a pitch, drove in a run, and scored twice. Haydon Helms was one-for-two with two RBI.
 
Cortlynn Ramirez (8-3) went the distance, throwing a seven-inning complete game shutout as he allowed just five hits and no runs with one walk and seven strikeouts.
 
Game 2 – Wiley 6, Louisiana Christian 11
 
LCU had to work from behind in the nightcap after Wiley scored a trio of runs in the top of the first to take an early 3-0 lead. However, that deficit would be fleeting as LCU responded in the bottom half. Adrian Aguilar started off the bottom half of the inning with a double to right-center. Alex Ashby drew a walk right behind him before Keelyn Johnson started the scoring with a double to left-center to score Aguilar. Ju'Juan Franklin enjoyed some good fortune to tie the score as the wind played havoc with a fly ball down the left field line, pushing it away from the Wiley left fielder and it fell in fair for a double that scored both Ashby and Johnson. With the bases now loaded and still no outs, Nicolas Ramos skied a ball to right field deep enough to let Franklin tag up and score to put LCU out front 4-3 when the inning ended.
 
After both teams failed to score over the next four innings, LCU doubled its output in the sixth. With the bases loaded and one out, Ju'Juan Franklin grounded a ball to third and beat out the relay for an attempted double play, allowing Adrian Aguilar to score from third. Nick Brunet followed that with a base hit to left-center, scoring Keelyn Johnson from second base. Peyton Lamartiniere then drove a hit through the left side of the infield and Franklin came in from third base. Jacob Fowler capped the scoring with a base hit to right field which plated Nick Brunet from second to put LCU up 8-3.
 
Wiley pulled one of those runs back in the top of the seventh inning, but the orange and blue came up with some insurance in the bottom half of the inning. With runners on first and second and no outs, Keelyn Johnson found the right-center gap again, driving in Adrian Aguilar from second. Ju'Juan Franklin's good fortune continued as his little pop fly dropped just inside the right field foul line and Alex Ashby scored from third. With the bases loaded and no outs, Peyton Lamartiniere lifted the ball to left-center, deep enough to let Keelyn Johnson tag up and score from third.
 
LCU would find itself in some trouble in the ninth inning as Wiley drove in a run with the bases loaded and no outs, but three straight ground balls would limit the damage to two runs coming across in the frame and ending the game.
 
Alex Ashby's nightcap was just as good as his day game as he went three-for-three at the plate with two walks, three stolen bases, and two runs scored. Peyton Lamartiniere went three-for-four with a double and two RBI. Keelyn Johnson, who currently has the second highest batting average in the NAIA at exactly .500, went two-for-four in game two with a double, a stolen base, was hit by a pitch, drove in two runs and scored three times. Ju'Juan Franklin was a run-producing machine, going two-for-five with a double, four RBI, and two runs scored. Adrian Aguilar was one-for-four, with that one being a double, was hit but a pitch, stole a base, and came around to touch home plate three times.
 
Dylan Coburn (1-0) was the first of a gaggle of pitchers used in the nightcap ahead of a busy week of baseball. He threw the first two innings and gave up four hits and three runs, all earned, didn't walk any batters, and struck out three. Beau Hebert gave up just two hits and no runs with no walks and two strikeouts in two innings of work. Colten Newsom gave up just one hit with no runs and two strikeouts in his two innings on the mound. Chase Gardner gave up two hits and one run, which was earned, with two walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Trip Flotte gave up two hits and two runs, both earned, with two walks as he failed to record an out. Branon Pope finished out the ninth inning by inducing ground balls from the three batters he faced which all resulted in outs to end the game.
 
The Wildcats (27-14, 20-10 RRAC) step out of conference for the final time on Tuesday for a make-up contest, looking to split the home-and-home series against (RV) Loyola-New Orleans. First pitch of Tuesday's dual with the (RV) Wolf Pack (30-17, 15-6 SSAC) is set for 4:00 P.M. at Segnette Field in Westwego.