PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University baseball team picked up its fifth win over a team that at least received votes in the NAIA Preseason Top 25 to start the 2026 season, this time knocking off the #15 Arizona Christian Firestorm 7-1 Thursday evening at Billy Allgood Field.
Louisiana Christian (11-2) strung together a few hits, and took advantage of a Firestorm miscue, to open the game's scoring in the second inning.
Drake Aldridge started the frame by ripping a double down the left field line and came home on
Harrison Waxley's RBI single to the right-center gap right afterwards.
Caleb Brown looked to sacrifice Waxley into scoring position, but the throw from the pitcher went wild allowing Brown to reach safely and Waxley to move all the way to third base.
Matthew Cody's base hit through the left side of the infield allowed Waxley to come home.
After a bunt single by
Brady Huffman loaded the bases,
Jake Messina did the job by lifting a fly ball to center field that was deep enough to let Brown tag up and score, giving the Wildcats a 3-0 lead when the second inning ended.
#15 Arizona Christian (7-3) found a bit of offense to start the fifth inning, getting back-to-back base hits which put Firestorm runners on first and third with no outs. After a pitching change, a sacrifice fly to left-center brought in ACU's first run of the game, but the Wildcats limited the damage to just the one, getting the next two batters out to end the inning at 3-1.
A big two-out rally extended the LCU lead in the sixth. With the bases empty and two away, Huffman started the rally with a base hit to right-center.
Chris Kelley then drew a walk as a pinch hitter, setting up
Braden McLin. McLin smashed the ball deep over the left field wall for a three-run home run, giving the Wildcats a 6-1 lead.
Another error proved costly in a significant manner for the Firestorm in the seventh.
Braden Trull hit a ground ball that ate up the ACU shortstop and Trull hustled all the way to second on the miscue. Later in the inning, a wild throw by the Firestorm shortstop allowed Trull to come around and score for the 7-1 score.
Aldridge was locked in against the ACU starter as he got hits in all three plate appearances against the Firestorm pitcher, two of which were doubles. He finished the game 3-for-4 with the two doubles and a run scored.
McLin's three-run home run in the sixth inning was his third of the season and accounted for all three of his RBI and his lone run scored on the day. He was 2-for-5 on the day at the plate.
Huffman went 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Waxley, Cody, and Messina each had a RBI.
Kade Linn (2-0) started the game and threw two hitless innings, giving up just two walks with two strikeouts.
Brandon Carter also threw two innings and gave up just one hits with no runs, one walk, and one strikeout.
Thomas Collins struck out four with one walk, one hit, and no runs allowed in his two innings of work.
Owen Simoneaux struck out three and allowed one hit with no runs in his two innings.
Colton Williams finished things out with one inning of work, striking out one and allowing no hits or runs.
The Wildcats look to keep the fast start to its season this weekend when they host the Texas Roadhouse Red River Classic at Billy Allgood Field. The first game of the Classic will be at 11 a.m. on Friday against the Midland Warriors (0-4).
