Pilots outlast LC
February 28, 2012
SHREVEPORT, La. - The no. 6 LSU Shreveport Pilots baseball team tagged the Louisiana Wildcats for 18 hits in a 12-8 win at Pilot Field on Tuesday night. Ridge Gonsoulin had five hits and drove four runs for the Pilots.
The lead changed hands several times in the first couple of innings as LC (3-5) got on the board first with a solo homer from Matt Scott giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead and would later regain the lead for LC with a two-run shot in the third inning to put the visitors in front 4-2.
LSUS (13-1) battled their way back to take the lead in the bottom of the second with David Dorton starting the rally with a double and Caleb Killian driving in his first run of his LSUS career with his first career hit; a triple to right-center.
After LC took the lead back in the third, LSUS pushed three across the plate in the bottom half of the third inning to regain the lead for good as Kyle Pearson placed the first pitch he saw from the new LC pitcher, Jordan Meisner, over the left field light tower to start the rally with his third homer of the year. Devin Greco later drove in a run with a double.
The Pilots added four more runs in the fifth inning as Killian reached second base on a throwing error by the LC third baseman to start the rally. The next two batters, Stephen Hobbins and Manny Estrada, both doubled back-to-back with Estrada driving in a pair. Gonsoulin followed with a RBI-triple to right center and later scored on a wild pitch.
Gonsoulin continued his big day at the plate in the sixth as he cleared the bases with a double to left center and later knocked his fifth hit of the game in the eighth inning.
Ben Suit (1-0) picked up the win in relief of two solid innings of work allowing just two hits, one run, and struck out three of the seven batters he faced. Jerry Lawrence tossed the final inning and two thirds shutting down the LC offense that started to gain momentum until he shut them down.
The Pilots will play a three-game series this weekend at Hobbs, New Mexico, against the Southwest Mustangs (5-14, 2-4 RRAC). Friday will be the double header beginning at 1:00 CDT while the final game will be at the same time on Saturday. All games can be heard live on the internet at teamline.cc.
