PINEVILLE – Louisiana Christian University's baseball team continued its winning ways Saturday as they swept a Red River Athletic Conference doubleheader from visiting Jarvis Christian (Texas).
Playing their first true home games in nearly a month, the Wildcats (12-5, 6-2 RRAC) claimed a stunning, come-from-behind 5-4 win in the seven-inning opener before taking the second game by a score of 9-3.
GAME ONE: 'Cats 5, Jarvis Christian 4
Peyton Lamartiniere's bases-loaded, walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the 'Cats a stunning triumph as they pulled a victory from the proverbial jaws of defeat.
In a game that had been evenly played through the first six innings, the Wildcats found themselves trailing 4-2 heading into their last at-bat.
Noah Gaspard drew a walk to lead off the inning, with
Dylan David replacing him on the basepaths. With one out,
Adrian Aguilar knocked a single, and two batters later,
Nicholas Brunet drew a two-out walk.
Down to their final out, Lamartiniere knocked a 1-1 pitch to the left field wall. David and Aguilar scored easily, with Brunet's pinch-runner Jett Aubé following. Lamartiniere's hit couldn't be fielded cleanly off the carom, and Aubé rushed home with the game-winning run and setting off the celebration on the LCU side of the field.
Lamartiniere batted 2-for-4 in the game, while Aguilar also knocked two hits and scored twice. Brunet and
Drake Angeron both went 1-for-3 with RBI doubles.
Cortlynn Ramirez pitched all seven innings for the 'Cats and struck out five batters while scattering six hits. He improved his season record to 3-2 with the win.
Alejandro Gonzalez Moreno was the lone pitcher for Jarvis Christian (7-10, 4-4 RRAC) in the opening game. He struck out three LCU batters and gave up five walks and nine hits.
GAME TWO: 'Cats 9, Jarvis Christian 3
A two-out error in the bottom of the second set the stage for a five-run LCU inning as the 'Cats dominated the game from that point.
Dylan David put LCU on the board with a two-out, RBI double to right-centerfield that scored
Nicklaus Stein and Aubé. Two batters later, Angeron singled home two runs as David and Aguilar crossed the plate.
LCU capped the second inning with Brunet's RBI single that allowed Angeron to score. LCU's entire second-inning rally was with two outs in the inning and meant that of the six runs charged to Jarvis Christian's starting pitcher Victor Moreno, only one was earned.
Stein added an RBI groundout in the fifth inning, while
Ju'Juan Franklin recorded a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
David went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Angeron and Brunet also collected two base hits.
Cy Fontenot pitched six innings and allowed only one earned run while striking out seven Bulldogs to improve to 3-2 for the season.
Dylan Beier pitched two innings of relief without allowing an earned run, while
Braxton Cooksey pitched a scoreless ninth.
NEXT UP:
The Wildcats conclude their three-game series against Jarvis Christian on Sunday, March 5, with a single, nine-inning game. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at LCU's Billy Allgood Field.
