Nunez stages huge rally to edge BRCC, 15-14

CHALMETTE, La. – Nunez Community College scored 9 runs in the bottom-of-the seventh inning to tie the game, and then got the deciding runs in the eighth followed by a ninth-inning save from closer Andre Roux, as they rallied for a 15-14 victory over Baton Rouge Community College Friday evening at Noel Suarez Stadium.

The game started out as a pitchers dual for the first 3 innings, and then quickly morphed into a huge run fest, as the teams pounded out a combined 39 hits and slugged their way to 63 total bases over the nine innings played.

The Pelicans got off to a 2-0 lead on Colin Cure’s 2-run first inning homer, but the Bears tied it in the fourth on Collin Dupre’s solo homer followed by a single, walk, and 2-base throwing error on a steal attempt of third.

Then after Nunez took a 3-2 lead in the bottom half on Jayce LaCava’s solo homer, BRCC countered with 4 in the fifth on Dupre’s second homer, a 2-run jack, that was followed by 4 singles and a sacrifice fly. The Pels followed in the bottom half with a run on an infield error and singles by Noah Detillier and Colin Cure to make it 6-4.

The Bears then scored the next 7 runs of the game, with four more in the top of the sixth on 2 singles, a walk, and Isaac Lege’s grand-slam homer, and next followed that with 3 runs in the seventh on a pair of singles, 2 doubles, and a safety squeeze.

Now down 13-4, the Pelicans staged their huge rally in the bottom half that started with singles by Cure and Cohen Veron. Then after Evan Rohlfs drew a walk to load the bases, four more consecutive singles by LaCava, Roth John, James Bendeck and Dorien Jackson cut lead to 13-8 with the bases still loaded none out. All runners next tagged and advanced on Ben Harris’ sacrifice fly with John scoring. Singles by Detillier and Cure then plated 2 more to make the score 13-11. After a pop-out for the second out, Rohlfs drove a clutch double into the left-center gap to tie the game at 13-13.

The visitors then took the lead right back in the eighth on a solo homer from Ryan Richard, before the Pels scored the winning runs in the bottom half with a 2-out rally that started with Jackson’s frozen-rope single to right, followed by Harris drawing a walk after fouling off four consecutive 3-2 pitches. Detillier then launched a high drive into the right-angle notch in deep right-center that skipped off the outfielder’s glove at the wall, with the tying and go-ahead runs scoring on the play.

Andre Roux then took the hill in the top of the ninth and retired the side order on a fly out and 2 strikeouts.

Eli Woodard started for the Pels and was followed on the mound by Cole Bordes and Owen Forbes, with Forbes getting credit for the win. For the Bears, Reid Godchaux got the start and was later relieved by Braden McLin, Hunter Lail, and Cade Durand.

Cure led Nunez offensively, going 4-for-4 with 4 RBI’s, while Detillier went 3-for-5 with 3 RBI’s, with John also going 3-for-5 with 2 RBI’s. Dupre lead Baton Rouge with a 4-for-4 night, including those 2 dingers and 3 RBI’s.

Score By innings – Fri 4/26
BRCC – 000 244 310 – 14 19 1
Nunez – 200 110 92x – 15 20 1
Godchaux, McLin (5), Lail (7), Durand (7)
and Fontenot. Woodard, Bordes (5),
Forbes (7), Adr Roux (9) and Rohlfs.
W- Forbes. L – Durand. S – Adr Roux.
2B – Veillon, Patin, Reinholtz, Detillier,
Rohlfs, Harris. HR – Lege, Cure, Richard,
Dupre 2, LaCava. SF – Fontenot, Harris.

NEXT UP:

Nunez and Baton Rouge will close out regular-season conference play on Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 PM from Suarez Stadium. Nunez students, faculty, and staff will be admitted free with Nunez ID.