PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Christian University baseball team homered three times as the Wildcats rolled to an 11-3 win over the Midland Warriors to open the Texas Roadhouse Red River Classic Friday at Billy Allgood Field.
 
Louisiana Christian (12-2) extended its win streak out to five straight while keeping Midland (1-5) winless after the Warriors were swept in a four-game series at Our Lady of the Lake to start the season. Midland picked up its first win of the season later in the day, upsetting #7 Loyola 3-2.
 
The Wildcats faced early troubles as Midland's first two batters reached and then an attempt to sacrifice them over was thrown away, allowing a run to score and putting runners on second and third with no outs. LCU was able to work out of that jam by inducing a pair of ground outs to Caleb Brown at shortstop with the infield drawn in which kept the runners where they were. Jacob Bareswill then struck out the next batter to retire the side, holding the Warriors to just the one run.
 
It didn't take long for LCU to tie the score back up as Braden McLin took the first pitch of the bottom of the inning over the left field wall for a solo home run. Three batters later, Chris Kelley gave the Wildcats the lead as he also sent a pitch soaring over the left field wall to give LCU a 2-1 lead after one.
 
Midland tied the score again in the top of the second inning, getting runners on the corners with one out and pulling off a double steal to make it 2-2. Bareswill again limited the damage, getting the next two Warriors out to keep the other runner stranded at second base.
 
LCU had another quick answer to retake the lead as Brown singled through the left side to start the frame and came home on Luke Morgan's double down the right field line, making it 3-2 Wildcats.
 
But that wouldn't be all for the Wildcats in the third inning as LCU added three more on a two-out rally. With runners on second and third with two outs, a balk by the Midland pitcher brought Morgan home. Cayden Cuti would score from third on a RBI single by Braden Trull. Kelley then greeted a new Warrior pitcher by slapping his first pitch through the left side of the infield which allowed Sims to come home from third for a 6-2 Wildcat lead after two.
 
The lead expanded in the third inning. Brown started the inning with a double to left, moved to third on a fly ball to right, and beat the throw home on Harrison Waxley's ground ball to shortstop to make it 7-2 LCU.
 
After two scoreless innings, Midland looked to get back in it with a pair of doubles which plated a run to get one of those runs back with just one out. The Wildcats were able to limit the damage there, getting a fly ball to right and a liner to second to end the inning there. LCU would get that run back and more in the bottom half.
 
With runners on the corners and one out, Drake Aldridge drove a base hit through the left side, allowing Cuti to come home from third. That only set up Gavin Vordick, who launched the ball over the left-center field wall for a three-run home run for the game's final runs.
 
Kelley was 2-for-4 with his fourth home run of the season. He knocked in two runs and scored once.
 
Brown was also 2-for-4 with a double and scored twice.
 
Vordick, who was a mid-game substitute, was 1-for-2 with that one being his first home run of the season which accounted for all three of his RBI and run scored.
 
McLin was 1-for-3 with his one being his fourth homer of the year, accounting for his RBI and run scored.
 
Bareswill (2-1) threw four innings and allowed two hits and two runs, one earned, walked two and struck out four to pick up the win.
 
Alan Mason threw two innings, allowing three hits and a run, which was earned, with no walks or strikeouts.
 
Aedan Thibodeaux threw the final inning, getting all three batters he faced out, two via the strikeout.
 
The Wildcats continue the Texas Roadhouse Red River Classic with two games on Saturday. The day starts at 12 p.m. with a game against the Brescia Bearcats (2-4) before wrapping day two of the event with another game against Midland, which is set to start at 3 p.m. with both games taking place at Billy Allgood Field.