Athletics

After putting the LSUS Pilots down in order in the top of the first inning of their second-round game in the NAIA Region XIII Baseball Tournament Wednesday night, the Lee University Flames scored their first four batters and six of their first eight in the bottom of the first and never looked back as the Cleveland, Tenn., squad posted a 14-5 win.

The tournament is being hosted by LSUS and sponsored by CHRISTUS Schumpert Health System and the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau.

Two Pilots were named to the All-Region Team on Wednesday.  Dusty Maddox, a junior outfielder from Bossier City, was named one of four outfielders on the team, and Dustin Bissonnette, a junior infielder from Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, was named the regional team’s utility player.

After scoring six runs in the first, the Flames added one in the second before taking a breather in the bottom of the third.  The Pilots bats remained virtually silent through three, with only 11 players making their way to the plate.

In the top of the fourth, the Pilots’ junior designated hitter opened the inning with a triple and junior right fielder Chris Frye walked, setting up a three-run homer off the bat of senior first baseman Kyle Mace.  Three outs in four batters doused what looked to be the making of a rally.

Lee posted another seven runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the game pretty much out of reach at 14-3.  Neither team added to their totals until the bottom of the ninth when the first two Pilots hitters scored.  Three of the next four batters recorded outs to end the game.

LSUS will start Thursday’s tournament action at 12 Noon against the North Georgia Saints.  The 3:30 p.m. game will pit Berry College against Auburn-Montgomery and Lee will face the University of Mobile Rams in the 7 p.m. nightcap. 

All games for the remainder of the tournament will be played at Pilots Field on the LSUS campus.