Pilots take final game to sweep the SAGU series
March 31, 2012
WAXAHACHIE, Texas - The final game of the series between the no. 2 LSU Shreveport Pilots and the Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions was not the best defense game that the two teams could have played as the Pilots prevailed 10-6 in a contest that saw a total of 10 errors, five committed by each squad.
Greg Friesen drilled a two-run triple to give the Pilots the early 2-0 lead bringing home Tyler Alton and Ridge Gonsoulin who both singled to start the rally. Alton ripped a single to start the inning and then Gonsoulin legged out a bunt-single. Devin Greco followed Friesen's three-bagger with a RBI-single to extend the lead to 3-0 after the top half of the first.
The Pilots added a single run in the third inning and then two more in the fifth with RBI-singles from David Perkins and Stephen Hobbins. Three more runs were added in the as Greco drove in a pair with a single to left and after Friesen walked to bring in a run and the Pilots led 9-2 after five innings.
Gonsoulin brought in the final run of the day for the Pilots with a sac-fly in the top of the sixth inning for a 10-2 lead. SAGU (11-22, 0-18 RRAC) added two runs in the sixth and then one in the eighth and one in the ninth to make the game closer than it was. Both runs in the last two innings were unearned.
The Pilots had 15 hits in the series finale as four different hitters had three hits and one with two. Gonsoulin ended the day 3-for-5 while Greco was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in. Perkins was 3-for-5 and Hobbins was 3-for-6 both driving in one run apiece while Friesen drove in three runs going 2-for-4.
Drew Middleton (2-0) picked up the win for the no. 2 Pilots scattering four hits and allowing two earned runs with one walk and two strikeouts in five innings of work. Cam Ellis allowed two runs in one inning of work while Josh Stephenson was the only Pilot reliever that recorded a scoreless inning as Jeremy Breaux and Jake Kight each allowed one run in their inning of work.
John Savis (1-4) suffered the loss for SAGU allowing nine earned runs on 11 hits throwing 109 pitches in just four and one third.
The next game for the Pilots will Wednesday night in Magnolia, Arkansas, at 6:30 p.m. against the Southern Arkansas Muleriders before returning to Pilot Field for a three-game series against the Jaguars of Houston-Victoria with the first game of the series Friday night at 6 and then a double header on Saturday at 1 p.m.
