Clayman out duels Gibbs in 2-1 LSUS victory
April 06, 2007
Shreveport, LA---The LSUS Pilots (26-9, 14-5) rode the arm of senior right hander Matt Clayman (6-0) who pitched a complete game four hitter en route to a 2-1 victory Friday night over the Loyola University Wolfpack (13-25, 5-14) .
Clayman’s night started off on the wrong foot after he issued a lead off walk to Matt Dozier. Dozier advanced to second base after a Bryan Mason grounded out to shortstop for the second out of the inning, and scored one batter later when Joshua Borges drove a Clayman fastball offering off the top of the fence in right center field for a triple giving LU a 1-0 lead.
Pilots right fielder Colin Moro delivered a one out triple in the bottom of the 1st inning but found himself stranded as Wolfpack starter Thomas Gibbs (1-5) struck out Bryan Stebbings and retired Chris Frye with a fly out to right field to end the inning.
The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the 3rd inning when Stebbings delivered a two out single to right field which brought Frye to the plate. Frye belted a Gibbs offering off the top of the fence in right center field which ricocheted back into the field of play. Mason caught the ball off the fence and the play was ruled an out by the field umpire. After much deliberation, the play was ruled a ground rule double which allowed Stebbings to score from first, and the game was tied at 1-1.
Frye collected his second double of the night in the bottom of the 5th with two out. Gibbs responded by enticing a pop fly to right field from Bryan Cooksey which was dropped by Mason allowing Frye to score from second giving the Pilots a 2-1 lead.
The unearned run surrendered in the 5th proved to be the winning run as Gibbs and Clayman matched zeros on the scoreboard the rest of the way through. Andy Rodriguez singled to begin the 8th, but Clayman responded with three quick outs and retired the side in order in the 9th putting the clamps on his 5th victory of the season.
Gibbs went the distance for the Wolfpack allowing two runs (one earned) off six hits and two walks while striking out three in 8.0 innings of work. Borges led the Wolfpack offense with his 1st inning RBI triple and finished 1-for-3 with a walk. Rodriguez, Dozier, and Bobby Alvarez accounted for LU’s three other hits.
Clayman was credited with his third complete game of the year in which he allowed just one run while scattering four hits, four walks, and striking out eight.
Frye carried the Pilots offense accounting for three of the teams’ six hits which included two doubles, a single, an RBI and scored the games winning run in the 5th.
The two teams will square off again Saturday afternoon in double-header action at Pilots Field. First pitch is slated for 1:00pm.
