STERLINGTON, La. – The Louisiana Christian University baseball team earned a split decision on the first day of the Cajun Collision, dropping the opener 5-4 to the Dakota State Trojans before coming back in the nightcap to take an 8-4 win over the Hastings Mustangs Friday afternoon at the Sterlington Sports Complex.
 
Game 1 – Dakota State 5, Louisiana Christian 4
 
Dakota State (1-0) got the scoring started in the bottom of the first, pushing a run across, but Louisiana Christian (8-2) came back in a big way in the third inning.
 
Braden McLin and Sterling Sims started the frame with back-to-back base hits, setting up Braden Trull, who went over the right fielder's head for a double, scoring McLin to even the score at 1-1.
 
Now with two outs, Matthew Cody came through with a big hit, knocking it off the Trojan shortstop which allowed both Trull and Brady Huffman to score and give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead when the top of the third closed.
 
Dakota State responded in the bottom half of the inning, taking advantage of a Wildcat error which extended the inning long enough for the Trojans to push three runs across, retaking the lead at 4-3. The Trojans added a key insurance run in the fourth to go up 5-3, a lead which would hold all the way to the seventh, and final, inning.
 
In the seventh, LCU took advantage of some wild pitching by the Trojans as Harrison Waxley was hit by a pitch, Cody drew a walk, and Caleb Brown was also HBP to load the bases with one away. Ian Erbe came through with a pinch hit ground ball to second which allowed Waxley to come home, but that's where the rally ended as a fly ball ended the contest.
 
McLin and Cody both had two hits against DSU. McLin went two-for-five with a run scored while Cody was two-for-three with a walk and two RBI.
 
Trull's one hit in three official at bats was a double. He knocked in a run, scored once, and was hit by a pitch.
 
Jacob Bareswill (1-1) took the loss, pitching 3.1 innings and allowing six hit and five runs, three earned, walked three and struck out five.
 
Alan Mason came on in relief and threw 2.2 innings, allowing just two hits and no runs with three strikeouts and didn't walk any batters.
 
Game 2 – Louisiana Christian 8, Hastings 4
 
Much like game one, it was the opposition which struck first as Hastings (0-1) put two across in the top of the first inning.
 
However, LCU's answer was quicker, evening things up in the bottom of the frame. Sims got the rally going with a one-out single. After stealing second, Sims moved to third on Trull's infield hit. Cody then put the ball in play and Sims beat the throw home for LCU's first run.
 
Two batters later, after Luke Morgan's base hit loaded the bases, Waxley came through as he put a ball in play which found grass, allowing Trull to come in and even the score at 2-2.
 
After getting the Broncos in order in the second inning, the Wildcats took the lead in the bottom half of the frame. Logan Lobell started the inning with a base hit. His courtesy runner, Jeffery Joiner, would move to third on a passed ball and a stolen base.
 
With one out, Sims sent a fly ball to center deep enough to allow Joiner to come home. After Trull doubled, Cody punched a base hit through the left side of the infield, allowing Trull to come across and give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead after two.
 
Hastings pushed two across in the third to tie things back up at 4-4, but it would not remain that way long as the Wildcats answered in the bottom half. Morgan was hit by a pitch to start the frame and he went to third on Waxley's double to right.
 
After an error loaded the bases, Huffman was hit by a pitch to force Morgan home and putting LCU back ahead. Lobell would then also draw a bases loaded walk, pushing Waxley home and giving the Wildcats a 6-4 lead after three.
 
The Wildcats added two insurance runs in the sixth. Trull and Cody started the inning with back-to-back base hits. Morgan sacrificed them over and Waxley brought them home with a two-RBI base hit to left, making it 8-4 LCU.
 
Trull went three-for-four with a double and scored three times in the nightcap.
 
Waxley also went three-for-four, hitting a double, knocking in three runs and scoring once.
 
Cody went two-for-four at the plate with a RBI and a run scored.
 
Owen Simoneaux also went two-for-three.
 
Simoneaux (1-0) also got the win on the mound, throwing the final four innings and allowing three hits and no runs with seven strikeouts and one walk.
 
Sterling Sims got the start and allowed five hits and four runs, all earned, walked two and struck out four.
 
The Wildcats wrap up the Cajun Collision on Saturday with two more games. The day starts at 2:30 p.m., taking on the #25 Central Methodist Eagles (1-1). LCU's weekend at the Cajun Collision ends at 6 p.m. with a game against the (RV) Drovers of Science of Arts of Oklahoma (0-2).