PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University baseball program could not have dreamed up a better start to their season, picking up a huge non-conference resume boost by winning 5-1 in game one behind a gem by Andrew Yuratich before the #13 Evangels of MACU woke up to flip the script in the nightcap by the same score of 5-1, both in seven.
 
The Basics:
 

• Game 1 (7 Innings)
  • Louisiana Christian – 5
  • #13 Mid-America Christian – 1

 

• Game 2 (7 Innings)
  • #13 Mid-America Christian – 5
  • Louisiana Christian – 1

 

• Records
  • Louisiana Christian (1-1, 0-0 Red River)
  • #13 Mid-America Christian (1-1, 0-0 Sooner)

 

• Location
  • Pineville, Louisiana – Billy Allgood Field

  

• Series History (Since 2003)
  • Series Tied 2-2 (50%)

 

• Winning Streak Coming In
  • Evangels (W1) | Wildcats' Last Win: March 21, 2003 (19-1, 7 Innings)

 
Wildcats Top Performers:
 

• Yuratich, the opening day starter on the bump, was spotted a one-run lead after the first inning and saw it swell to four following the second, but he eliminated any chance of a comeback under his watch by spinning four scoreless frames with an equal amount of strikeouts and just a single walk.

 

• Nick Lorio got off to a hot start during the blustery January afternoon, leading the offense with a trio of hits over five at-bats (.600) and was one of four Wildcats with an RBI.

 

• Of the other three players that drove in baserunners, Hunter Gotreaux was the only one who did so with a base knock, (single) before promptly stealing second, as Braden McLin lifted a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield while Adrian Aguilar executed a safety squeeze.

 

• Cy Fontenot may not have gotten his desired outcome, he definitely had his strikeout stuff working well as he accrued 12 outs with half of those coming by K.

 

• Harrison Waxley topped the team with a pair of runs scored in addition to a double during a 2-for-6 (.333).

 

• Tyler McKenna had the good guys' other two-bagger with the same line as his teammate above apart from one less run scored on the basepaths.

 

• Chris Kelley reached base safely in each of his two plate appearances, hammering a single and coaxing the lone walk by the Orange and Blue over the opening 14 innings.

 

• Braxton Cooksey was the final student-athlete to get on-base multiple times, collecting a single and taking a bean ball for the club with another notable performance stemming from Centenary (Louisiana) transfer Cowan Alfonso, who sat them down in order with a whiff during his LCU debut.

 
Next:
  

• 2024 World Series participant and 12th-ranked Kansas Wesleyan concludes its two-day foray through "The Boot" on Saturday when LCU looks to send the Coyotes back to Salina with their tails between their legs after its 12 / 2 p.m. doubleheader.

 

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