Nunez splits Saturday twin-bill, takes two-of-three on weekend

CHALMETTE – Freshman Cole Bordes pitched a complete-game 6-hit shutout, and Landon Manson went 2-for-2 with 2 RBI’s and a double as Nunez Community College defeated Coastal Alabama North Community College 4-0 in the first game of a 3-team round-robin Saturday at Noel Suarez Stadium.

Later in the day, The Pelicans could not mount any offense against  Jones College’s Brice Deaton as the Bobcats took home a 5-0 victory in the day’s finale.

The Nunez offense could muster only 5 hits on the day, with 3 of those coming all in timely fashion in Game 1. Meanwhile, Dylan Jimenez’ double high off the centerfield wall and Mason’s rocket single to right were the only Pelican safeties allowed by Deaton in Game 3.

GAME 1 –  NUNEZ 4  COASTAL ALABAMA NORTH  0  (7 innings)

The Pelicans dented the scoreboard in the bottom of the first, plating two as Noah Detillier led off being hit-by-pitch and Alex Crews drew a walk.  Collin Zeringue then moved both runners into scoring position with a perfectly-placed bunt toward third, with both later scoring in the inning as Manson beat out an infield single to short, and then after a walk to Aiden Lambert loaded the bases, Davison Stokes was hit-by-pitch to force in Crews.

Nunez then added a run in the second without a hit as walks to Detillier and Zeringue around a plunk of Crews loaded the bases, with Detillier next tagging and racing home on Manson’s sacrifice fly to right.

The Pels completed the scoring in the fourth with a 2-out rally, as Zeringue drew a walk and Manson doubled him to third on a deep line shot to left.  Payton Cooper next followed with line single to right field to plate Zeringue.

Bordes maintained control throughout the game, scattering 6 hits while striking out 5, not walking anyone, and throwing 70% of his pitches for strikes.  Brandon Cain started for the Eagles and was relieved in the fifth inning by Bradley Day.

                  CACCN –   000 000 0 –   0  6  0                      

                      Nunez –  210 100 x  –  4   3  2

                         W – Bordes.   L – Cain.

              Cain, Day (5) and Lawhon, Pierre (5).

                         Bordes and Manson. 

                   2B – Manson.  SF – Manson.  

GAME 3 –  JONES  5  NUNEZ  0  (7 innings)

After a 3-inning mound duel between Deaton and Nunez starter Landon Cortez, Jones plated 3 in the top of the fourth as Josh Cary led off with a hard-ground double just inside the bag at third and scored on a single by Gatlin Sanders.  Beau Bryans followed with a homer over the centerfield wall to put the Bobcats up 3-0.

The visitors got their final 2 runs in the top of the sixth as Cary led off with a bunt single to third, stole second, and moved to third as the throw from the plate sailed into centerfield.  Marquise Gibson and Sanders   then followed with consecutive doubles to left and right-center to make the final count 5-0.

Deaton pitched a complete game 2-hitter with 10 strikeouts, just one walk, and allowing only Jiménez and Manson as far as second base in the game.

Cortez, after surviving the fourth inning, bore down to retire the side in order in the fifth on 2 strikeouts and a groundout.  Reliever Ira Austin then took the mound in the sixth, going the final 2 innings and allowing no runs on just one hit with a pair of strikeouts.

                       Jones –  000 302 0 –   5  7  0                      

                      Nunez –  000 000 0 –   0  2  1

                      W – Deaton.   L – Cortez

                           Deaton and McCall.

                    Cortez, Austin (6) and Manson. 

                       2B – Cary, Pearson, Gibson,

                   Sanders, Jimenez.  HR – Bryans.

In Saturday’s middle game, Jones defeated Coastal Alabama 4-3.

NEXT UP:

Nunez will step out of NJCAA competition this week to face a pair of 4-year NAIA universities on the road.

On Thursday, March 9, the Pelicans will return to Central Louisiana to play Louisiana Christian University (formerly Louisiana College) in a doubleheader in Pineville. The Pels are undefeated at 5-0 in their last 3 trips to the Alexandria area over the last 2 seasons, winning the last 3 played against the Wildcats.  First pitch from Billy Allgood Field will be 3 PM.

Then on Saturday, March 11, Nunez will head to Crowley to face John Melvin University in their first-ever regular-season meeting.