Pilots Fall in Extra Innings
February 09, 2008
Shreveport, La. - The LSUS baseball team dropped its conference home opener on Friday night, falling to the Belhaven Blazers 6-4 in 13 innings.The Blazers struck first with one run in the top of the fourth, as Brent Hudson knocked in Joe Scalzo with a single to left field.
The Pilots evened the score at 1-1 when Quenton Shamsabady successfully laid down a suicide squeeze bunt to score pinch runner Matt Moseley.
After Belhaven scored another run in the sixth, the Pilots took a 3-2 lead in the bottom half of the inning on two unearned runs following a throwing error by Belhaven's Blaise King.
Belhaven would eventually take a 4-3 after scoring single runs in both the seventh and eighth innings.
However, the Pilots tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth off a RBI single by Shamsabady.
LSUS threatened to end the game in the 10th inning, but left two runners stranded on base.
Belhaven's Brian McCormick broke the 4-4 tie in the top of the 13 with a 2-run HR over the wall in center field.
The Pilots put the tying runs on base with two outs in the bottom of the 13th, but a strikeout by Jeffrey Garidel ended the game, giving Belhaven a 6-4 victory.
Belhaven's Riley Galloway (1-0) pitched three scoreless inning in relief, while picking up the win for the Blazers. LSUS' Zach Ray (0-1) was the losing pitcher.
Shamsabady and Andrew Blubaugh each had 3 hits for the Pilots in the defeat, while first baseman Craig Barnes finished the night 2-for-6.
Belhaven was led by Hudson who ended the night a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate, including a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Bryan Bennett was the only other Blazer with multiple hits on the evening with 2 singles.
LSUS (5-3, 5-1) and Belhaven (3-4, 1-3) will square off again on Saturday in a doubleheader at Pilots Field. The first game is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM.
