Pilots take two of three from Blazers on the road
March 18, 2006
Jackson, MS---The LSUS Pilots looked to regain the top spot in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference Saturday from the No. 11 Belhaven College Blazers. After taking game one of the series Friday night behind a complete game by starting pitcher Matt Clayman 5-1, LSUS received yet another tremendous pitching performance from junior left hander Kevin Jewell, and took game two of the series by a final score of 3-1. In game three of the series, the Blazers capitalized on three Pilot errors in the 4th inning and scored five runs on just two hits, and avoided the sweep with a 7-1 victory.
Last Saturday Jewell threw a complete game no-hitter against the William Carey College Crusaders to improve to 3-0; this Saturday he scattered three hits and one walk against the Blazers en route to a 3-1 victory to improve to 4-0.
The Pilots struck first with two runs in the 2nd inning after Dustin Bissonnette hit a two out bases loaded single up the middle past a diving Blazers defense to score Jacob Watkins and Riley Cook for a 2-0 lead.
Blazers starter, Thomas Royals (5-1), hit Pilots catcher Brent Lavallee with one out who promptly advanced to 3rd after Bryan Cooksey singled to right center field. Bissonnette followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Lavalee stretching the Pilot lead to 3-0.
BC managed to scratch a run across in their half of the 4th after catcher Buddy Wyrick delivered an RBI double to left-center field to score Ricky Owens, cutting the Pilot lead to 3-1. Howell, Jewell responded by shutting down the Blazer offense and not allowing a single base runner over the last three innings.
Cooksey led the Pilot offense with a 2-2 performance including two singles and a walk. Bissonnette delivered the winning RBI and finished 1-4 with two RBI.
Royals went the distance for the Blazers allowing three runs (two earned), seven hits, two walks, and collected five strikeouts. Royals finished 1-3 at the plate while Wyrick finished 1-3 with a double and an RBI.
After taking games one and two with some outstanding pitching and defense and timely hitting, the Pilots could not repeat their recipe for success in game three. The Blazers capitalized on three LSUS errors and three free passes by starting pitcher Chris Steadman and poured across five runs in the bottom of the 4th to take a 5-0 lead.
LSUS threatened to cut into the Blazer lead after an RBI single by Colin Moro scored Steffan Primeaux and placed runners on first and second with pinch hitter Scott Talley at the plate. Blazers starting pitcher Larkin Braxton however put an end to the Pilot rally by picking off pinch runner Cook at first base.
BC responded with two more runs in the bottom half of the 6th after Bryan Bennett drove a bases loaded double to right-center field off Pilot reliever Blake Pinkston stretching their lead to 7-1.
Braxton polished off a complete game effort with three of his seven strikeouts in the top of the 7th, putting the clamp on the Blazers 7-1 victory. Braxton held the Pilots to just five hits and allowed one earned run to improve to 6-1 on the year.
Shawn Anderson finished 1-2 with two runs scored while Royals added a 2-3 performance at the plate to lead the Blazers offense.
Moro finished 2-2 with two singles and Primeaux added a 1-3 performance which included a triple and the lone LSUS run scored.
The Pilots improved to 16-7 on the year and are now 8-3 in conference play while the Blazers dropped to 10-5 in the GCAC.
LSUS will return to action again Tuesday afternoon when they will travel to Houston, TX to take on the Houston Baptist Huskies in double-header action before returning home to Pilots Field Friday night when they will play host to the University of Mobile Rams. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30pm.
