Pilots open season with shutouts; win first "President's Challenge"
The LSUS Pilots left their first regular season baseball opponent off the scoreboard Saturday, Feb. 2, in recording back-to-back shutouts - 2-0 and 10-0 - against Texas College.

The previous Saturday, the Pilots traveled to LSU-Eunice to play in the "President's Challenge," sponsored by Dr. William Jenkins, LSU System president.

According to LSUS Chancellor Vince Marsala, folks from the Southwestern Louisiana campus aimed a few "derogatory" comments in jest at the Pilots, to which the LSUS chancellor laughingly replied, "The biggest problem the Pilots will have is finding Eunice."

Find it they did, and quieted their detractors with a 23-8 thrashing of Eunice. For their efforts, the Pilots brought home the "traveling pennant" - a banner now proudly displayed in the chancellor's outer office. No date has been set for next year's contest, which will be played on the LSUS campus.

The Pilots' Feb. 5 double-header against Houston Baptist University was postponed because of rain.
The following weekend, the Pilots had a rough road trip, winning one of four games in two days in two states.

Saturday, Feb. 9, found the Pilots in Monticello, Ark., playing a double-header against UA-Monticello. LSUS dropped a close top half, 2-3, then plugged in their bats to win the bottom side, 10-4.

The Pilots got what sleep they could that night, arriving in Cleveland, Miss., in time for a 2 p.m. Sunday start against Delta State University - ranked No. 2 in the NCAA's Division II South Central Region, according to the NCAA's Web site.

The first of two games nearly doubled the scheduled seven innings, with the Pilots losing a heart-breaker, 4-5 in 12 innings. The long weekend took its toll on the team in the second game. Delta State rolled to a 15-3 win.

The Pilots' roster and schedule are on on their web site at: www.lsus.edu/baseball/schedule.htm.

Musgraves named interim A.D. LSUS head baseball coach Rocke Musgraves has been appointed interim athletic director replacing Larry Rambin, who retired Feb. 1. In making the announcement, Chancellor Vince Marsala said the position of athletic director, which had reported directly to him, will now report to Marty Albritton, vice chancellor for development.