Pilots charge late to defeat SAU
March 13, 2012
SHREVEPORT, La. - The LSU Shreveport Pilots offense pounded five hits for a four-run seventh inning as they defeated the Southern Arkansas Muleriders 7-5 on Tuesday night at Pilot Field.
LSUS (20-3) struggled at the plate early against SAU starter Janson Carr until the sixth inning when Kade Billeaudeaux reached on a throwing error by the short stop and two batters later Kyle Pearson sent a rocket over the left field wall to tie the game at three after six innings.
The Pilots did not stop there as they added four runs in their next at bat to take a 7-2 lead after seven. Devin Greco ripped a single to lead off the inning followed by a RBI-double by Manny Estrada and then David Dorton drove in a run with a sac fly as the Pilots continued to rack up runs on the new SAU pitcher Philip Menou who appeared to be on his way out of the inning after a pop out recorded the second out of the inning.
Kym Barthel and Kade Billeaudeaux reached on back-to-back bunt-singles to keep the inning alive as both would score in the innings.
SAU (11-10) scored single runs in the first, third, and fifth innings as they cruised behind their right hander but the Pilots eventually solved the puzzle. The Muleriders picked up a couple of unearned runs in the eighth and ninth as the Pilots bullpen shut down their offense.
LSUS starter Drew Middleton did what he had to do to put his team in contention to win on a night where he did not have his best stuff. He worked through four and a third while allowing six hits, three runs (two earned) six walks and only one strikeout. He forced the visitors to strand five runners in the first four innings.
Jake Kight was first out of the pen for the Pilots tossing an inning and a third facing the minimum while Cam Ellis did the same in an inning of work and struck out two of the three batters he faced. Brandon Russell (2-1) worked an inning and a third for the win while striking out two. Jared Mortensen (1) picked up the save in a hit-less ninth as they bullpen did not surrender a base hit in four and two thirds of work.
Menou (0-1) suffered the loss for the Muleriders as the Pilots struck him for four earned runs in the two thirds of relief.
Manny Estrada led the Pilots at the plate as the only multi-hit performance going two for three with a RBI while Pearson had a two-run homer with his only hit.
The struggled defensively at times committing five errors as three of SAU's five runs were unearned.
The next game for the Pilots will be Friday night at 6:00 against the RRAC-leader, Northwood Knights.
