Musgraves claims 500th win with sweep of UHV
February 21, 2012
VICTORIA, Tex. - LSU Shreveport coach Rocke Musgraves claimed his 500th career win on Monday night as his 2012 Pilots remain unbeaten on the season with a double header sweep of the University of Houston-Victoria as his Pilots won the first game 3-1 and cruised to a 12-1 win in the second game at Riverside Stadium."It is an honor for me to achieve this milestone. God has truly blessed me with providing me with super players and great coaches over the years. It makes me think back to all the great relationships that I have been able to build through the game of baseball. I give the glory to the Lord above and I am so thankful for this great blessing," said Musgraves.
GAME 1
Pitching and web gems by the defense were the key to the Pilots 3-1 in the first game of Monday's double header with a quality outing from Drew Middleton. Ridge Gonsoulin was the first to flash his leather with a great diving catch in foul territory down the right field line in foul territory on a ball that most outfielders wouldn't have even tried to catch. A few batters later in the second inning Tyler Alton madding and equally impressive diving catch to end the Victoria threat and strand a pair of base runners as the Pilots held a 1-0 lead after two complete innings of play.
Manny Estrada made a nice diving catch and threw out the lead-off batter of the bottom of the fifth as the Pilots maintained their one-run lead until the Jags tied the game with a two-out single to centerfield. Middleton was lifted in the fifth after four and two thirds allowing just three hits and the one run while walking two and striking out two.
The Pilots turned the game over to the bullpen as Jake Kight came through yet again with two and a third scoreless innings as he allowed just two hits and two strikeouts. LSUS got the scoring started with a sac fly from David Dorton that plated Greg Friesen for the first run of the day.
The sixth inning saw the Pilots take the lead with two runs as they started a rally that led to the departure of UHV starter Cory Carter (1-2) as he allowed four hits, three earned runs, four walks, and six strikeouts in five innings of work. Carter walked the lead-off batter of the sixth in Kyle Pearson as Friesen then followed with a single and then the walk to Estrada earned him the hook as the Jags turned the game over to the bullpen.
Pearson scored on a wild pitch in the inning and then Stephen Hobbins brought in the insurance run with a single to left field for the 3-1 advantage.
Friesen was two for two at the plate while Hobbins was two for three with an RBI.
GAME 2
The second game of the day was a lot closer than the score would indicate as the Pilots used a solid outing by starter Jonathan Burnett (1-0) and an eight-run seventh inning for the lop-sided 12-1 win.
LSUS (10-0) got off to a booming start as Greg Friesen blasted a two-run homer over the right-field fence to drive in Gonsoulin who had singled just two batters before off the big right-hander, Creighton Hoke (0-1). The Pilots used small ball in the second with back-to-back sacrifice bunts for their third run of the game which would be more than enough run support for the sophomore right-hander from Florien, Louisiana, Burnett.
After allowing a lead-off single, followed by a walk, Burnett got out of the inning untouched in the run column as he retired the next 12 batters in a row. Brunett allowed a pair of soft singles to start the sixth inning and then was relieved by Ben Suit who allowed just one run after inheriting runners at first and second with no outs.
The only run UHV got in the game was on a one-out groundout as Suit retired three in a row to keep the lead at three for the Pilots 4-1. The LSUS offense would explode for four runs in the seventh on four hits as they sent 11 men to the plate.
Estrada began the inning of highlights with a two-run double and Tyler Alton hit a three-run homer, erasing a 0-8 day at the plate before his last at bat of the day.
The Pilots had three hitters with multi-hits as Gonsoulin finished two for four, Friesen two for two with two RBIs, and Estrada was two for three with three runs batted in. Kade Billeaudeaux drove in two and was one for three.
Burnett faced 18 batters allowing only four hits, one walk, one run, and struck out three.
The Pilots will travel to Muskogee, Okla., for a double header at noon on Friday against Bacone College to be followed by a single game on Saturday at 1:00. The next home game for the Pilots will be Tuesday, Feb. 28th, at 6:00 against Louisiana College.
