Pilots take two of three from Lions
February 11, 2007
Shreveport, LA---After dropping game one of the three game series 6-2 to the Lindenwood University Lions Friday night, the LSUS Pilots (5-1) responded with back-to-back wins, including a 6-1 game three victory Sunday afternoon to take the weekend series 2-1.
The Pilots sent senior right hander Daniel Welch (1-0) to the mound for game three. Welch led the Pilots to victory allowing one run after scattering seven hits through 7.0 innings of work for the Pilots Sunday afternoon.
After two scoreless innings, Pilots third baseman Bryan Cooksey sparked the Pilots offense with a leadoff double to left-center field. Andrew Blubaugh sacrificed Cooksey to third base which was followed by an RBI triple to left by David McGhee putting the Pilots ahead 1-0. Brandon Magierowski followed with an RBI single stretching the Pilots lead to 2-0.
The Pilots squandered a scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 5th after Cooksey doubled to right field and advanced to third base on a Blubaugh sacrifice bunt. McGhee followed with a fly ball to short center field to Corey Hill who threw a perfect strike to the plate to keep the Pilots from scoring on a tag play from third base.
The Lions momentum carried over to the top half of the 6th as Ryan Kopp and Chris Bielski collected back to back singles. Kopp advanced to third on a passed ball and later scored on a Travis McConell RBI ground out.
LSUS however responded with a rally of their own in the bottom of the 6th when they chased Lions starter John Sternberg from the mound after collecting four hits and four stolen bases which led to four runs and a 6-1 lead.
Victor Hernandez took over in relief for Welch in the 8th and threw two scoreless innings to preserve the Pilots 6-1 lead.
Sternberg (1-1) allowed six runs on nine hits through 5.1 innings of work in the losing effort. Kopp led the Lions offense with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate and scored the lone Lions run.
The Pilots scattered 13 hits, one from each player in the starting line-up with the exception Blubaugh who never recorded an official at bat. Cooksey and Brent Lavalee each finished 2-for-4 with two doubles. Magierowski and Frye also added two hits a piece with an RBI and a run scored.
LSUS will return to action Tuesday night at Pilots Field when they will play host to the Louisiana College Wildcats. First pitch is slated for 6:30pm.
