Brouillette's Walk-off Grand Slam Propels Pilots to Doubleheader Sweep Over Houston-Victoria
April 08, 2009
Shreveport, La. – The LSUS Pilots snapped a season-long six-game losing streak on Wednesday night, picking up a pair of non-conference wins over the University of Houston-Victoria in a doubleheader at Pilot Field.
In game one, Andrew Brouillette launched a 3-2 pitch with two outs and the bases loaded over the scoreboard for a walk-off grand slam, as the Pilots rallied back from two down in the bottom of the eighth to end their losing streak with a 7-5 extra innings victory.
The Pilots trailed the Jaguars 3-2 entering their final at-bat in the bottom of the seventh, but Brandon Bravata hit a double down the left field line to tie the game at 3-3 and send it into extra innings.
Houston-Victoria scored two runs in the top of the eighth and looked as if they were going to extend the Pilots losing streak to seven games before LSUS rallied to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning, setting up Brouillette’s heroics.
With his walk-off grand slam, Brouillette became the all-time Gulf Coast Athletic Conference single-season RBI leader with 79, breaking the old record of 76 set back in 1986.
LSUS pitcher Scott Petroski picked up the win in relief for the Pilots, moving his overall record to 3-0 on the season.
In the twilight, LSUS used the momentum from a huge comeback win in game one and the long ball again to knock off the visitors from Houston, 8-4.
After falling behind 4-0 in the bottom of the first, the Pilots scored two runs in the third and then exploded for five runs in the fourth courtesy of back-to-back homeruns by Quinton Shamsabady and Brouillette. Shamsabady lined a three-run homer over the left field wall for his 7th of the season, while Brouillette tied Brent Lavallee for the team lead with his 14th blast on the year.
Craig Barnes closed out the game’s scoring in the bottom of the fifth with a solo bomb, his third of the season.
Despite a shaky start in the first inning, LSUS starter Colby Lehman settled down to earn his first victory of the year on the mound. Lehman allowed four runs, two unearned, in the top of the first, but he pitched three scoreless innings after that to pick up the win.
Freshman Cason Landrem looked outstanding on the mound over the final three frames, allowing just two hits in his outing out of the pen.
Brandon Bravata also moved one closer to setting the NAIA national record for hit-by-pitches in a single season, as he tied the all-time record with his 34th hit-by-pitch in the fourth inning.
LSUS (32-10) is currently one-half game behind William Carey in the GCAC standings, and the Pilots will travel to take on the Tougaloo Bulldogs this weekend for a three-game conference series in Jackson.
