ALEXANDRIA, La. – The Louisiana State University of Alexandria baseball team swept its over Opening Day doubleheader over No. 12 Kansas Wesleyan University in dramatic fashion. The Generals (2-0) took game one, 2-1, before mounting an eight-run seventh inning for an 11-10 comeback against the Coyotes (0-2).
"It was a great Opening Day," LSUA Head Coach Kody Gautreaux said. "It's always stressful and nerve-wracking, I tell the guys before, you only get four or five of these if you're lucky. It's always fun, but we have to get some rest tonight and come out tomorrow and play just as well."
GAME ONE | LSUA 2, No. 12 KWU 1
Josh Pierce (1-0) tossed six innings of one-run ball. He allowed just four hits and two walks, while striking out six.
His only blemish came in the first inning. A single from the three-hole hitter drove in the game's first run after a lead-off double and a strikeout.
In the top of the fourth inning, Pierce escaped a bases loaded jam. He rolled a tailor-made 6-4-3 double play to erase the danger.
After being held hitless for the first four innings, Julian Kliebert laced a single through the left side for LSUA's first hit of the ballgame.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth,
Zach Mengarelli worked a one-out walk. The next hitter,
Blaise Foote, took a pitch over the wall in right field for a 2-1 lead.
"It felt good," Foote said. "We've known this team was going to be real special. Josh came out and gave us a chance the whole way through and we just had to get the one big hit and God gave it to me."
After a strikeout and a ground out opened the top of the seventh, the Coyotes worked the bases loaded with a hit by pitch and back-to-back walks.
Kyler Carson came on with the bases loaded and two outs. He recorded the final out, with a diving snag at third by Mengarelli, to earn his first save of the season.
The Generals needed just two hits to secure the victory.
GAME TWO | LSUA 11, KWU 10
The back half of the doubleheader ended in dramatic fashion as the Generals mounted an eight-run seventh inning rally.
Kansas Wesleyan again opened the scoring in the first frame. A sacrifice fly and a single up the middle plated a pair for a 2-0 lead.
A bases loaded walk, drawn by
Jaxon Bernard, in the bottom of the third brought by the Generals within one.
The Coyotes' offense scored five runs in the top of the fourth on a single, a bases loaded walk, a passed ball, a single to center, and a sacrifice line out, for a 7-1 lead. They plated another two runs in the in the fifth on a fielder's choice and a wild pitch.
Trailing 9-1 in the bottom of the fifth, Foote launched his second home run of the day – another blast to right field. The round-tripper cut the Coyotes' lead to six, 9-3.
Kansas Wesleyan added one more run in the top of the seventh on a double down the left field line, bringing the score to 10-3.
Brett Batteford pinch hit to lead-off the bottom of the seventh with the Generals trailing by seven. He notched an infield single to get the Purple and Gold's rally started. Mengarelli and Foote both drew walks, loading the bases.
Derin Doucet was brought on to pinch hit and was hit by a pitch for the inning's first run.
A new arm for the Coytoes gave up another walk to
Dezmon Dugas to bring in the second run. Josh Tinnerello drove in the third with a fielder's choice, putting runners on the corners with one out. Evan Rohlfs-Schadel looped a single to center for an RBI, cutting the score to 10-7, as Tinnerello raced to third.
A walk from
Lane Patin loaded the bases once more before Kliebert took a pitch off his hip, bringing in Tinnerello from third.
Seeing their lead dwindle to two, the Coyotes went to the bullpen again as the lineup card turned over and Batteford stepped back into the box. He drew a bases loaded walk, cutting the score to 10-9. Mengarelli then lofted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Patin from third as Kliebert scampered to third.
After an intentional walk to Foote loaded the bases, a wild pitch sent Kliebert streaking towards the plate – sliding in safely for the walk-off victory.
"It was amazing [being part of the comeback]," Kliebert said. "It was cutting it close there at the end. [The pitch] didn't get kick too far, but my instincts were telling me to go."
Colin Ardoin (1-0) earned the win, tossing two innings of relief. LSUA had seven players record a hit and drew a dozen walks as a team.
UP NEXT
LSUA hosts No. 13 Mid-America Christian University on Saturday, January 25. First pitch is scheduled for noon at the Generals Baseball Field.
