Nunez splits doubleheader with Bishop to take season series

MOBILE AL – Freshman Landon Cortez pitched the first complete-game shutout in team history, a 3-hitter, and former Hahnville teammate Collin Zeringue blasted a 400-foot homer into the wind as Nunez Community College took Game 2 of a matinee twin-bill from Bishop (Ala.) State Community College on a pleasant Monday afternoon at Wildcat Field.

The Pelicans earlier wasted a similarly-sterling mound effort from Rummel’s Cole Bordes in the opener, as the Wildcats used small-ball three times to grab the opener in walk-off fashion.  The win was the first for Bishop over Nunez in their last 7 tries.

With the victory, the team’s first of the season on the road, the Pels win the season series with the Wildcats 3 games to one, and have now won two of three 4-game series played this Spring.

As a tandem, Bordes and Cortez walked none and struck out 18, and gave up just 7 hits, all singles, and just 2 earned runs over 13.1 innings of combined work.

GAME 1 –  BISHOP ST 3  NUNEZ 2  (7 innings)

The Pels got on the board first in the top of the fourth as Aidan Lambert led off with a line single to left and then moved up to 2nd on a passed ball.  Zeringue then singled Lambert to third as he beat out an infield chopper to second.   Lambert then scored on Landon Manson’s RBI-fielder’s choice groundout that forced Zeringue at second, and after Manson then stole both second and third, Payton Cooper singled him in with a grounder through the 65 hole into left field.

Bishop got an unearned run without a hit in the bottom half as Rashad Robinson was hit-by-pitch, moved up on a passed ball, stole third and then scored as the throw from the plate sailed into left field.  The Cats then tied in in the sixth as, after a lead-off single, Vinnie Bosio reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced around to third on a pair of wild pitches, and then scored on an infield groundout to tie the game at 2-2.

Bishop then won it in the bottom of the 7th as Ethan Miller led off with a line single to center, after which pinch-runner Jaden Moreno was sacrificed to second and then kept going all the way to 3rd as the Pels left the bag unattended.  Moreno then raced home with the game-winner on Gann Nobles’ grounder to second, sliding in under the tag.

Bordes finished the game with 8 strikeouts, no walks, while scattering 4 hits and giving up just 2 earned runs. 

                           Nunez –   000 200 0 –   2   7  2

                      Bishop St –   000 101 1 –   3  4  0 

                        One out when winning run scored

                              W – Dolce   L- Bordes 

                                  Bordes and Manson. 

                           Sanders, Dolce (7) and Bosio.

GAME 2 –  NUNEZ 9   BISHOP ST 0  (7 innings)

The Pels again jumped out to a 2-0 lead, this time in the second as Manson led off hit-by-pitch, stole second, and then moved to third on Cooper’s groundout to first.  Kyle Landry then plated Manson with a line single to right, stole second, and scored on Caleb Webb’s hot-shot grounder through short into left field.

Nunez then broke it wide open with a 7-spot in the sixth.  Manson again led off by being plunked, and Cooper followed with a fly-ball double to left field to put runners on second and third.  After Landry walked to fill the sacks, Noah Detillier was hit-by-pitch to force in the first run of the frame.   

After a strikeout, pinch-hitter Caleb Duhon stroked an opposite-way shot down the left field line to score both Cooper and Landry to make it 5-0.  Alex Crews then plated Detillier with a line single to right, with Duhon next scoring as Lambert reached first base on an RBI- fielder’s choice for the second out.  After Lambert stole second, Zeringue turned on a 2-0 fast ball, launching it well over the right field fence to make the final margin 9-0.

Cortez, still strong and at full charge, then cruised through the final 2 frames to complete the contest with a final worksheet of 7 innings, no runs, 3 hits, no walks and 10 kayos.

Crews, Cooper, Webb, and Landry all had 2 hits in the game for the Pels, while Zeringue finished his day 3-for-6 at the plate with those 2 RBI’s.

                           Nunez –  020 007 0  –   9  10  0

                      Bishop St –  000 000 0  –   0   3   0

                            W – Cortez    L- Pierson    

                                 Cortez and Webb.

                   Pierson, Reimensnyder (5), Bedgood (6), 

                       Ward (6), Lambert (7) and E Miller.

                     2B – Cooper, Duhon.  HR – Zeringue.   

NEXT UP:

The Pelicans will next be in action this Friday-Saturday February 24-25 with a 3-game home series against Enterprise (AL) Community College, to be played at the Alario Sports Complex on the Westbank.  First pitch from Segnette Field for Friday’s single game will be 6 PM, with Saturday’s doubleheader to begin at 1PM.  Nunez students, faculty, and staff will be admitted free with Nunez ID.