Louisiana Christian sweeps thrilling doubleheader from SAGU

PINEVILLE – The Wildcats of Louisiana Christian University swept a Friday doubleheader from Southwestern Assemblies of God (Texas) to open a three-game weekend series.

Both games were decided by one run as LCU won the opener 3-2 in walkoff fashion before taking game two by a score of 5-4.

The Wildcats (33-13) will conclude their non-conference series against SAGU on Saturday, April 29, with a single game scheduled for noon. The team will honor its senior class prior to the game, with festivities scheduled for 11 a.m.

Rain forecasted in Central Louisiana could alter Saturday’s game and Senior Day schedule. Updates will be announced on LCWildcats.net and on the LCU Athletics social media channels as they are made available.

GAME ONE: ‘Cats 3, SAGU 2
LCU’s Cy Fontenot outlasted the NAIA’s strikeout leader in a mound duel while his teammates rallied for a come-from-behind victory.

Fontenot struck out seven batters and allowed only four hits, a walk and one earned run to pick up the win and improve to 6-4 for the season. He faced the minimum of 15 batters over the final five innings of the seven-inning contest; Fontenot retired the last eight batters he faced while his teammates got helped him out with a pair of double plays in the fourth and fifth innings.

SAGU’s Michael Watson struck out 10 LCU batters to improve his nation-leading total to 129, but wildness undermined his performance as he walked seven batters (one intentionally) and threw four wild pitches. Adrian Aguilar scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh.

The ‘Cats trailed 2-0 after two innings but were not without their chances as they stranded six baserunners through the first three innings of the game. Drake Angeron put the ‘Cats on the scoreboard when he led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a home run to right field, the first of his two blasts Friday.

In the sixth, Ju’Juan Franklin drew a one-out walk before yielding to pinch-runner Jett Aubé. Aubé took both second and third base on wild pitches from Watson, and then scored the tying on Nick Moreau’s RBI double with two outs.

The ‘Cats scratched out the winning run in the seventh when Aguilar earned a five-pitch walk with one out. Nicholas Brunet then singled and moved Aguilar to third base, which was followed by Watson and the Lions giving Peyton Lamartiniere an intentional walk. Watson’s third pitch to Nick Lorio was in the dirt and skipped away from catcher James Maddox Henderson, allowing Aguilar to cross the plate with the winning run.

GAME TWO: ‘Cats 5, SAGU 4
The Lions again led 2-0 after two innings of play but the ‘Cats were quick to respond in game two as they fended off a late challenge from the visitors.

LCU reclaimed the lead with three runs in the third inning. The ‘Cats loaded the bases for Haydon Helms, but before he got an opportunity to hit, SAGU pitcher Ethan Nors was called for his second balk of the inning and allowed Angeron to trot home.

Helms then delivered a two-RBI single to centerfield, scoring Aguilar and Lamartiniere and giving the Wildcats a 3-2 lead.

SAGU tied the game in the fifth on the first of Craig Venable’s two RBI groundballs in the game, but the ‘Cats responded in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homerun from Angeron. It was Angeron’s sixth homerun of the season.

The LCU lead allowed Beau Hebert to exit the game after seven innings in line for the victory. He struck out seven batters and walked two while allowing nine hits en route to his 11th victory of the season. Hebert’s 11 victories is tied for second in the NAIA.

Chase Gardner pitched the final two innings and got the save the for Wildcats. He struck out two batters and allowed just one hit.

SAGU put a runner on third base with one out in the ninth inning when Venable came up again. He was credited with an RBI but also stayed on base due to an error, putting the potential tying run in scoring position. But despite the threat, Gardner recovered to induce two more groundouts to end the game.

LOOKING AHEAD
The ‘Cats officially clinched second place in the Red River Athletic Conference as the league standings were updated Friday evening to reflect changes in results due to player eligibility elsewhere in the conference. LCU will go into the RRAC Tournament as the No. 2-seeded team when the event starts May 5 in Sterlington, La.