Pilots Swept By Blazers
March 29, 2008
Jackson, Miss. - The No. 25 LSUS Pilots (26-12, 17-9) were swept in a three-game series for the first time since the 2006 season, as the Belhaven Blazers (28-11, 16-8) defeated the Pilots, 4-3 and 3-1, on Saturday afternoon.
In game one, the Blazers offense exlpoded for four first-inning runs off of Pilots starter Juan Leon. The four runs would be all the Blazers would need on the afternoon, as the Pilots were forced to play catch-up for the rest of the ball game.
Trailing 4-2 in the top of the sixth, LSUS threatened to tie the game after Quenton Shamsabady doubled to leadoff the inning and scored on a single by Jeffrey Garidel. However, Garidel was stranded on third with just one out, as Belhaven reliever Joe Patterson shut down any hopes of the Pilot comeback with two consecutive ground outs to end the inning.
Leon (1-1) was dealt his first loss of the season, while Kyle Beuscher (3-1) picked up the win for the Blazers.
The Pilots struck first in game two of Saturday's doubleheader on a solo homerun off the bat of Bryan Stebbings, giving the Pilots an early 1-0 lead. Unfortunately, Stebbings homerun would be the only run the Pilots would score as Belhaven starter Chris Hartfield kept them at bay for most of the afternoon.
Hartfield (6-2) threw a complete game for the Blazers, giving up just the one run and six hits on the afternoon.
Justin Ennis (3-6) pitched well for the third consecutive outing, allowing just two earned runs and seven hits over seven innings.
