Badger News

The Spring Hill College baseball team played the spoiler by taking an 11-9 decision in the first game of a doubleheader versus No. 18 LSU-Shreveport on Saturday afternoon at Stan Galle Field.  The Badger victory, along with an 11-1 William Carey win over Belhaven College, gave Carey the 2009 GCAC regular season championship by just a half game over LSU-Shreveport.  LSUS would rebound, however, to claim the suddenly less relevant nightcap 3-0.

SHC found itself down 8-4 after just three innings, but rallied for three runs in the 4th and four more in the 5th to take an 11-8 advantage.  In the crucial 5th frame, Justin Harrison tied the game with a 2-out RBI single and shortstop Ryan Cummings followed with a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to gave the Badgers the lead at 9-8.

Third baseman Brad Holstein then drove a 2-run single over the bag at second base to build a comfortable 11-8 advantage.

On the mound, reliever Quinn Nichols (3-2) of Mobile's Faith Academy picked up the win in three innings of work giving up just two hits with no walks and two strikeouts.  Scott Petroski (4-1) took his first loss of the year, also in relief.

Cummings enjoyed a 3-for-3 outing with two RBI.  Ryan Hall and Bill Saliski added two hits apiece as each blasted solo homers in the second inning. Harrison also had two hits with an RBI.  Brent Lavallee, Kyle Lawrence and Quinton Shamsabady each had homeruns for LSUS.

The nightcap remained scoreless through five innings as LSUS starter Turner Brasher held down the Badger batters and Spring Hill's Todd Kline and Nick Clapper (4-7) combined to return the favor to the Pilots. 

Brasher went seven innings with just three hits, six walks and four strikeouts and Richard Pharr took his first save of the year closing out the final two innings with two hits, no walks and a strikeout.  Kline last three innings and allowed only two hits, a walk and two strikeouts while Clapper went five innings with six hits four walks and three strikeouts.  Chris Bruce pitched the 9th inning for SHC with no hits or walks and one strikeout.

LSUS (39-12, 27-7 GCAC) finally cracked the scoreboard with a run-scoring double to left-center by first baseman Craig Barnes with two outs in the top of the 6th inning.  Solo homers by Brandon Bravata and Andrew Brouillette in the 7th and 8th innings provided for the final 3-0 score.

Spring Hill (26-26, 15-21 GCAC) will meet LSUS again at noon on Thursday in the first round of the GCAC Tournament hosted by William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Miss.