LSU Shreveport Tops Embry-Riddle in 10 Innings at Avista-NAIA World Series
May 31, 2011
LEWISTON, Idaho - Pinch runner Cody Causey dashed to third on a passed ball and sprinted across the plate on the catcher's wild throw to score the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning to earn LSU Shreveport a 3-2 victory over Embry-Riddle (Fla.) in the Avista-NAIA World Series at Harris Field on Monday.Causey was running for Kevin Smith, who opened the frame with a double to right field. The fourth-seeded Pilots (47-13) win their second game in as many played in Lewiston in their final at bat. They await the winner of Monday's final game between Lubbock Christian (Texas) and Oklahoma City for a 7 p.m. PDT date on Tuesday.
The loss forces the top-seeded Eagles (51-10) drop down into the loser's bracket where they will take on fifth-seeded Lee (Tenn.) Tuesday at 11 a.m.
Smith led off the 10th inning by sending a 1-1 offering from Embry-Riddle closer Phillip Reamy to right-center field. Chase Wentz went down to first on an intentional walk and Causey came in to run for Smith. With nobody out and runners at first and second, Kyle Pearson stepped into the batter's box, fouling off the first pitch. The second pitch from Reamy got past catcher Adam Cellini that Causey advanced to third on. Cellini attempted to make a play on Causey at third, but his throw to the bag went sailing into left field, allowing Causey to sprint home to score the winning run.
LSU Shreveport got on the board in the bottom of the fourth, scoring one run on two hits. Pearson reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score on Michael Diffie's double that went down the right-field line. Embry-Riddle starter Ryan Vigue retired the side with a line out and a strike out to prevent the Pilots from adding any additional runs.
The Piolts took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh as seven batters went to the plate. Shawn Moy earned a leadoff walk as Vigue's final opponent. Reamy entered and Justin Brodnax put down the sacrifice bunt to advance Moy to second. No. 8 batter Curtis Beaudoin took a 1-2 pitch through the hole at shortstop to put runners at first and third. A bobble by third baseman Steve Sabins allowed Manny Estrada to reach first and send Moy home to score.
Freshman pitcher Logan Norris quieted the hot bats of Embry-Riddle, holding the Eagles to five hits through eight complete innings. Norris forced nine ground outs, six fly outs, struck out five and issued just one walk. He was touched for one run in the top of the eighth. Norris hit leadoff man Aaron Glaum to start the frame. After a first pitch ball, Greg Smith singled to right to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Glaum advanced to third on Sabins' fielder's choice that saw Smith register the out. Cleanup hitter Chris Page hit a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Glaum. Norris struck out Ben Kline close the frame.
The Eagles tied the game in their ensuing at bat. Keaton Stroud earned a free pass to first on a five-pitch walk from LSU Shreveport reliever Cade Bowen. Bowen got Embry-Riddle to hit into back-to-back fly outs by Ian MacGeorge and pinch hitter Jeff Lemon for two outs. He then threw four straight balls to Cellini, moving Stroud's pinch runner Jordan Romero to second. After facing two batters, Cody Boutte entered the game, replacing Bowen. Glaum singled off of Boutte through the hole at short to score Romero and tie the game, 2-2. The inning ended on pinch runner Tyler Robbins' base-running error.
Boutte (7-2) was credited with the win for the Pilots, while Reamy (2-2) suffered the loss. Eagle starter Vigue logged six innings of work, scattering five hits with two runs, one of which was earned, striking out seven and walking two.
Six batters on each side collected a hit. LSU Shreveport was led by two hits each from Smith and Diffie, while Embry-Riddle had a two-hit performance from MacGeorge. Page and Glaum recorded an RBI in the losing effort.
The Pilots will play no. 6 Lubbock Christian University tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. PDT at Harris Field.
