No. 1 Pilots ease past William Carey
April 18, 2012
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The no. 1 LSU Shreveport Pilots had a combined 22 hits in Wednesday's double header to complete the season sweep of the William Carey Crusaders taking game one by a final score of 9-4 and then winning the night cap of the twin bill 10-4. The Pilots are a perfect 5-0 against the Crusaders this season as they started the season with a three-game sweep at the beginning of the year.
GAME 1 W, 9-4
Drew Middleton anchored the mound for the Pilots earning his 4th win of the season to remain unbeaten at 4-0. Middleton tossed six innings scattering six hits allowing only two earned runs while dancing around three walks complimented by three strike outs.
The Pilots offense went to work early notching two runs in their first at bat of the day with a two-run single from Devin Greco for 2-0 advantage and it was enough to hand William Carey starter J.D. Little (3-6) the loss. WCU scored a run in the bottom half of the first inning trimming the LSUS' lead in half.
Greco did some more damage in the third inning with a grand slam over the left field wall to drive in his six run of the contest for a 6-1 Pilot lead after two and a half. David Dorton led off the inning with a walk followed by a Ridge Gonsoulin bunt single and then a base on balls to Pearson loaded the bases with no outs. Following a pop out the table was set for Greco to launch his third homer of the season.
Pearson knocked in a run with a double off the center field wall following a RBI single from Gonsoulin as the visitors added two runs in the fourth inning until Dorton delivered a RBI single to right in the fifth for a 9-2 lead.
WCU scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh but it was not enough as they stranded a total of 10 base runners in the game compared to the Pilots leaving six a board.
Greco led the attack at the plate with six runs batted in going 2-for-4 while Gonsoulin was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and Pearson was 2-for-3.
GAME 2, W 10-4
LSUS (39-4) started the night cap much of the same way they did the first game but this time putting three runs on the board in the first inning with Greg Friesen bringing home one with a double after Pearson drove in a run with a fielder's choice. Manny Estrada had a much better day at the plate as he notched a RBI-single to center and would go on to finish 3-for-4 after a hitless game one.
WCU (25-25) rallied to take the lead in the bottom of the first inning after the first two hitters of the inning were retired the Crusaders managed for the next five to reach on three hits and two walks for a 4-3 lead after one.
LSUS added single runs in the second and then another in the third inning to regain the lead for good. Kade Billeaudeaux's RBI triple to right field tied the game at four in the second and then Dorton single in the go ahead run in the third for a 5-4 Pilot advantage.
The Pilots continued to pull away with a pair of runs in the fourth inning as Pearson ripped his second double of the day bringing in Billeaudeaux who singled earlier in the inning. Pearson stole third and later scampered home on a passed ball. Dorton drove in another run with a single to right to highlight the three-run fifth.
The Crusaders managed to start some rallies but could not get the big hits to get back into the game as they stranded 10 of their 12 base runners in their last four at bats. The Pilots bullpen did not keep the William Carey hitters off base but they did a great job of pitching out of some tough situations.
Jason Mouton worked two and 2/3 for his first collegiate with of his LSUS career as he allowed only two hits while walking two and fanning three. Cam Ellis followed Mouton out of the pen as he inherited a pair of base runners but he left them stranded striking out WCU's Daniel Convert to end the threat.
Ben Suit struggled through a scoreless sixth inning with 30 pitches but he got the outs that mattered most as he struck out Quinn Stokes who had reached base in six of his previous seven at bats for the second out and then induced a groundout to Pilot third baseman Kym Barthel to shut down the rally.
Jake Kight worked a scoreless, no-hit, seventh inning striking out one of the four batters that he faced.
LSUS had three hitters with multi-hits as Estrada led the way with a 3-for-4 performance while Billeaudeaux was 2-for-4 and Dorton was 2-for-3 off the bench.
The Pilots have now won four games in a row while William Carey has lost eight straight games. LSUS needs one win this weekend against the Texas Wesleyan Rams to clinch their second straight RRAC regular season title.
The three-game series will begin Friday night at 6 p.m. and conclude on Saturday afternoon with a double header at 1 p.m. The Senior Day ceremony will be held on the field prior to the first game of the double header.
