Pilots on a roll, 2 games out of GCAC lead 04/16/02

The LSUS Pilots, on a seven-game winning streak overall and in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference, pulled within two games of the conference lead last weekend by pounding William Carey College three times at LSUS by a total of 17 runs.

The Pilots entertain East Texas Baptist University at 6:30 p.m. today in a non-conference game at their lighted home field on the LSUS campus.

William Carey was leading the conference with a 17-7 record after being soundly whipped by the Pilots once Friday and twice Saturday. The Pilots came out of the weekend with a 15-9 conference record. Meanwhile, Loyola University (New Orleans) dropped two games to Spring Hill College, allowing LSUS to overtake the Wolfpack for the conference second spot. Loyola’s conference record after Saturday’s losses was 13-10. No score was available for Sunday’s Loyola-Spring Hill game.

Besides the three straight from William Carey, the Pilots took a close 4-3 non-conference win from Louisiana College at LSUS on April 10, and tortured Talladega College in Talladega, Ala., for three wins April 5 and 6 by a combined score of 45-2. Talladega is winless in the GCAC.

LSUS split double-headers with Southern Arkansas University at home on April 2 and Spring Hill College in Mobile on March 30, and took the three-game series opener from Spring Hill on March 29. In all, LSUS has won 11 of its last 13 games, and eight of its last nine conference games.

The Pilots are definitely in the hunt for the conference title with six games remaining on its conference schedule, but the LSUS crew will need some help from in-state conference rival Loyola. The Pilots play their final three home games of the season against the University of Mobile Friday at 6 p.m. and a double-header beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. They go on the road the following weekend to play three games in New Orleans against Loyola.

By the time LSUS hits the Big Easy, however, Loyola could have put the Pilots’ fate in their own hands. The Wolfpack travels to Hattiesburg for games against William Carey Friday and Saturday. Sweeps by both LSUS and Loyola would give the Pilots a one-game GCAC lead.

But, the Pilots would then almost certainly have to take at least two games from the Wolfpack to have a chance at the conference title. While the two Louisiana GCAC teams are re-enacting the Battle of New Orleans, William Carey will play host in Hattiesburg to hapless Talladega April 26 and 27.

The GCAC Tournament will be played at the home of the regular season conference winner May 1-4, with the tournament winner advancing to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Region 13 tournament May 8-10.