Pilots improve to 4-0 in GCAC with 9-7 win over Badgers
February 25, 2005
Mobile, AL---The LSUS Pilots (11-2, 4-0 GCAC) took on the Spring Hill College Badgers of Mobile, AL in the first game of a three game Gulf Coast Athletic Conference series Friday night. The Pilots led 5-0 early, but a 5 run bottom of the seventh tied the score at 5-5. The Pilots answered with 3 runs in the top of the 8th inning, and 1 run in the 9th, and held off a Badger rally in the bottom half of the 9th to pull out a 9-7 victory, and improve to 4-0 in GCAC action.
Pilots leadoff hitter Dusty Maddox started the scoring in the top of the third inning with a two-run blast over the left-center field fence putting the Pilots up 2-0. The Pilots put up three more runs in the top of the fifth inning which was capped off by a Maddox double off the top of the left field fence, scoring Colin Moro to give the Pilots a 5-0 lead.
A leadoff single by Banks Walker in the bottom of the fifth broke Pilots starting pitcher David Alexander’s no hit bid. Alexander settled in and collected three straight Badger outs, keeping the Pilots lead at 5-0.
The score remained 5-0 until the bottom of the seventh when with one out, Alexander hit Walker with a pitch, and then surrendered three straight singles to Tyler Moberg, Jeremy Koen, and Grant Allenbach. With runners on second and third and one out, the Pilots went to their bullpen and Kevin Jewell came on in relief of Alexander. Josh Bohanon greeted Jewell with a 2 RBI single up the middle to cut the Pilots lead to 5-3. Later in the inning, a pinch hit single from Neil Favre scored Bohanon and Allenbach to tie the score at 5-5.
Brandon Magieroski drew a walk with one out by Badger reliever Ben Collins, and advanced to second when Pilots Derek Cunningham was hit by a Collins offering, placing Pilots at first and second with one out. Magierowski promptly stole third and scored on a wild throw Koen, and Cunningham advanced to third. After Collins struck out Riley Cook for the second out of the inning, and issued a free pass to pinch hitter Patrick Thompson, Maddox followed with a double to right center field scoring Cunningham and Thompson, but was thrown out trying to advance to third to end the inning with the Pilots leading 8-5.
The Pilots added one run in the top of the ninth when Chris Frye doubled to right-center field to score Dustin Bissonnette, putting the Pilots up 9-5. The Badgers rallied in their half of the ninth and had runners on first and second with two outs before Jewell struck out Walker for the third out, collecting his third win of the season, and improving the Pilots record to 11-2 overall, and 4-0 in the GCAC.
Maddox led the offensive charge for the Pilots picking up four hits, including two doubles and his third homerun of the season, and collected a game high five RBI and two runs scored. Magierowski improved his batting average to .571 on the year with a 2-3 effort and scored one run.
Alexander fell victim to a Badger seventh inning rally and collected the no decision despite completing 6.1 innings and only allowing three runs on three hits, while collecting five strikeouts. Jewell pitched 2.2 innings in relief allowing four runs (three earned), on five hits, while striking out five Badger hitters to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Badgers starter Darrin Gilcrease completed 6.0 innings, allowing five runs on five hits, to collect a no-decision, while Collins suffered the loss in relief allowing three runs on two hits in 2.0 innings. Allenbach was the only Badger hitter who collected 2 hits on the night with a 2-4 effort and one run scored. Favre was 1-1 with a two RBI single pinch hit in the bottom of the fifth.
The Pilots and Badgers will complete the three game series tomorrow afternoon with a double-header beginning at 1:00pm at Stan Galle Field in Mobile, AL. Both games can be heard live at www.ihigh.com.
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