Badger News

The Spring Hill College and LSU-Shreveport baseball teams split a doubleheader at Stan Galle Field on Saturday afternoon in the season opening series for both schools.  Spring Hill rallied in the final inning of the first game to take a 4-3 win while LSUS bounced back in the nightcap for a 7-1 victory.

Down 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth of the first game, senior right-fielder Ryan Hall stepped to the plate with one out and two runners on.  He ripped shot down the right field line that wound up in the Badger bullpen.  LSUS right fielder Chase Wentz threw up his arms to indicate a dead ball as two Badger runners crossed the plate, but the umpires ruled the ball still in-play, giving Hall a triple and SHC a 4-3 win.

Earlier, the Badgers had tied the game at 1-1 in the first inning off Ryan Cummings RBI double and took the lead 2-1 in the second when catcher Fred Rossi smashed a run-scoring single over third base.

LSUS tied the game in the third inning when a sacrifice bunt by the Pilots turned into a run-scoring error by Rossi who fielded the bunt cleanly, but attempted to cut down the runner advancing to third.  Unfortunately, third baseman Bobby Voss had moved off the bag and Rossi's throw ended up in left field, scoring the tying run.

The Pilots (1-1, 1-1 GCAC) took the lead at 3-2 in the ninth when Curtis Beaudoin slapped a single between first and second scoring Brandon Bravata from third base.

Rossi was 3-for-4 with a RBI and Andy McCall added two hits for the Badgers.  LSUS was led by Beaudoin with two hits and two RBI.

Jeff Keenum (1-0) took the win for the Badgers in relief as starter David Dupuy went 5.2 innings with four strikeouts and issuing just two walks with four hits.

Corey Theriot (0-1) had the loss and blown save opportunity for LSUS and Justin Ennis went eight innings with nine hits allowed, nine strikeouts and no walks.

The second game saw the Pilots blow open a close game with two runs in the fourth and three more in the sixth to take a 7-1 win.  Josh Essington (0-1) took the loss for the Badgers with four innings pitched eight hits, four earned runs, no walks and just one strikeout.

John James (1-0) was the winner for LSUS in five innings of work with just one earned run, two hits and nine strikeouts.

Beaudoin continued to be hot at the plate with two doubles and two RBI for the Pilots.  Kevin Smith and Andrew Brouillette also collected two hits each.

Spring Hill and the No. 18 Pilots play again in a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. on Stan Galle Field.