Pilots Take Two From William Carey
February 14, 2009
Shreveport, La. – No. 15 LSUS picked up two GCAC wins over William Carey on Saturday afternoon, defeating the visitors 6-4 and 18-6 at Pilot Field
Game One – LSUS 6, William Carey 4
Despite giving up four runs in the sixth inning, John James (4-0) pitched an outstanding game on the mound for the Pilots, going the distance to earn his fourth win of the season. James was backed offensively by senior Brent Lavallee who drove in a team-high three runs in the win.
Lavallee doubled in two runs with two outs in the bottom of the first, as the Pilots jumped in front of the Crusaders 2-0.
LSUS added three more in the third, knocking out Carey starter Ian Sharpe. Lavallee picked up his third RBI of the game with an RBI ground out, while Quinton Shamsabady and Stephen Hobbins each drove in a run with two-outs in the inning. Shamsabady singled in Josh Todd from third on line drive down the left field line, and later scored on a double off the bat of Hobbins to put the Pilots in front 5-0.
Carey threatened for the first time in the top of the six, loading the bases with two outs after back-to-back singles and a base-on-balls. David Trisler then made the most of the opportunity, smashing a 2-2 pitch over the right field wall for a grand slam and his first homer of the season.
The Pilots added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Andrew Blubaugh singled in freshman Kyle Pearson for the Pilots’ sixth run of the game. Pearson doubled with two-outs in the inning for the first hit of his career.
Blubaugh (2-for-4) and Hobbins (2-for-3, 2B) each finished with two hits to lead the Pilots.
James allowed just four hits in the contest, with all four runs coming on the long ball by Trisler. James struck out three batters and walked just one in the victory.
Game 2 – LSUS 18, William Carey 6
LSUS scored in all six innings they sent a batter to the plate, and freshman Cason Landrem earned the first win of his career, as the Pilots cruised to an easy 18-6 victory in game two.
After Pilots’ starter Turner Brasher worked his way out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the first, LSUS loaded them up in the bottom of the inning and took advantage of their opportunity to blow the game open early.
With the first three batters reaching base safely, clean-up hitter Brent Lavallee made the visitors pay once again, lining a fastball into the left-field corner for a two-run double. Jeffrey Garidel then knocked in Andrew Brouillette on an RBI ground out, as the Pilots went ahead 3-0 at the end of one.
David Bradley singled to lead off the second inning for the Pilots, and Brandon Bravata would later knock him in on an RBI single just two batters later.
In the third, LSUS extended their lead over the Crusaders to 7-0 and opened the game up with three runs in the inning. Josh Todd scored on a passed ball for the first run of the inning, and then Bradley drove in two more runs with his second hit of the contest.
The Pilots kept things rolling in the fourth, scoring four more runs to increase their lead to 11-0. LSUS had just one hit in the inning, an RBI single by Kyle Pearson, but was aided by two Crusader errors that extended the inning.
Carey finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth with five runs on six consecutive hits off Brasher. David Trisler knocked in two runners on a two-out single, and Jason Terrell and Brandon Chretien added RBI singles as the Crusaders cut into the Pilot lead, 11-5.
LSUS loaded the bases again with no outs in the bottom of the fifth, and capitalized by scoring three runs in the inning. Garidel drew a bases loaded walk to score the first run of the inning, and Shamsabady singled on the very next pitch to drive in Brouillette. A Chase Wentz sacrifice fly scored the third run of the inning.
After Carey scored another run in the sixth, Blubaugh tripled to score Pearson from first putting the Pilots back up by nine. LSUS loaded the bases on back-to-back walks by Brouillette and Lavallee and Garidel singled to right to drive home Bulbaugh and Brouillette. The Pilots added their final run of the game on a passed ball, as they picked up an easy 18-6 victory in game two.
Garidel led the Pilots offensively in game two with two hits and four RBIs. Lavallee, Bradley and Pearson also had two hits for the home team.
LSUS will be back in action on Tuesday night when they take on Louisiana College at Pilot Field.
