Pelicans win season series with Millers in Saturday sweep

Chalmette –  Nunez Community College again got solid starting pitching from Levi Brewster and Landon Cortez, with the offense doing just enough, to register a pair of victories over the John Melvin University Varsity on a sunbaked Spring afternoon at Suarez Stadium.

The Pelicans hosted today’s double-bill on April Fool’s Day, but there was no joking around for Hahnville’s Collin Zeringue.   With backbeats from the St Bernard Irish-Italian procession serenading from just blocks away, the Pelican slugger led the Nunez hit parade, going 4-for-6 on the day with a homerun, double and 4 RBI’s, while reaching base in 6 of 9 plate appearances.

GAME 1 – NUNEZ  5   JOHN MELVIN  3   (7 innings)

Nunez took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Alex Crews dropped a pop-fly into right for a single, reached third on a throwing error on Payton Cooper’s bunt single, and then scored on Zeringue’s RBI-groundout.  But JMU then grabbed a 3-1 lead in the second on Connor Varnum’s lead-off homer and Armand Daigre’s 2-run shot to center.

The Pels took the lead back in the third with a 3-run rally, starting with a lead-off walk to Landon Manson, who then stole second and next raced home on pinch-hitter Reggie Bergeron’s laser shot down into the right-field corner for a double. Aidan Lambert then walked and Davison Stokes bunt-singled to load the bases. Bergeron then scored on James Bendeck’s double-play grounder, after which Ashtyn Ellis lined a double to center to plate Lambert and make it 4-3 Pels.

Two-and-a half scoreless innings then followed as Brewster and JMU’s Cabet Blanchard held serve through the middle innings.   Brewster completed his stint after going 6 innings, giving up 7 hits while striking out 9 to set himself up for the win.

Nunez finally plated a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth as Cooper and Zeringue lined consecutive doubles, and after Manson doubled with Zeringue being help up at third, Stokes walked to load the sacks with none out.  But Miller reliever Payton Albert pitched out of it nicely on a pair of strikeouts and a ground out to hold the deficit at just 5-3.

Cole Bordes then took the hill for the Pels in the seventh inning, and after a lead-off line single by Kole Sonnier, the freshman right-hander closed out the game with 2 strikeouts and infield pop-out to earn the save.

      John Melvin –  030 000 0  –   3   8  1 

                 Nunez –  103 001 x  –  5  10  0

     W – Brewster.   L – Morel.  S – Bordes.

Morel, Blanchard (4), Albert (6) and Durr.

       Brewster, Bordes (7) and Manson. 

   2B – Sonnier, Cooper, Zeringue, Ellis,

 Bergeron, Manson.  HR – Varnum, Daigre.

GAME 2 – NUNEZ  7   JOHN MELVIN  5   (7 innings)

Nunez jumped out to a 7-2 lead before having to stave off a furious JMU 7th-inning rally.

Zeringue gave the Pels a 2-0 lead with a line-shot homer to center that also plated Cooper who had reached on an infield error, and then the home team got one more in the inning on Lambert’s infield single followed by consecutive walks to Evan Rohlfs, Stokes, and Bendeck to force in a third run.

After the Millers got an unearned run in the fourth on a walk, infield error, and double-play grounder to cut it to 3-1, the Pelicans stretched their lead in the bottom half on what proved to be the pivotal play of the game.

With two outs, Zeringue walked and Manson and Lambert were both hit-by-pitches to fill the sacks.  Then, a throw in the dirt to first on a routine grounder which should have ended the inning instead let in the lead two runners to give the Pels a 4-run lead.   But Hayden Fontana’s solo homer in the fifth for JMU cut the Nunez lead to 5-2.

After Cortez retired from the mound after going 6 innings yielding just 2 hits and one earned run while striking out four, the Pels fortunately plated two more in the bottom of the sixth as they again filled the bases with none out on walks to Cooper and Manson around a line-single to left by Zeringue.  One-out later, Rohlfs was plunked to force in one run, with Zeringue next scoring on Stokes’ RBI-fielder’s choice grounder.

The Pels then had to hold on for dear life in the seventh, as in a flash the Millers cut it to 7-5 on a lead-off walk, single, and Daigre’s second long ball of the day, a 3-run shot to center.  Closer Ira Austin then entered the game, and after a walk, struck out the next 2 batters.  After another walk brought the potential go-ahead run to the plate, Austin closed the game by striking out the final batter on a 3-2 pitch to register the save.

      John Melvin –   000 110 3  –  5  4  2

                 Nunez –   003 202 x  –  7  4  2

         W – Cortez.  L – Paul.  S – Austin.

       Paul,  Sanders (3), Ortego (6) and Durr.

       Cortez, Flynn (7), Austin (7) and Rohlfs.  

2B – Sonnier.  HR – Fontana, Daigre, Zeringue.

GAME AND SERIES NOTES:

• Manson reached base 7 of 8 times on the afternoon on a double, 3 walks, and 3 hit-by-pitches.
• The Pelicans conclude the season series with the Millers by winning 5 of the 6 games, going 3-1 against the JMU Varsity and 2-0 versus the JV.
• Brewster went 3-0 on the mound in the series, pitching 16 solid innings while yielding just 5 earned runs.

NEXT UP:

Nunez will get back into conference play this Friday and Saturday, April 7-8 with a 4-game series against Baton Rouge Community College in Chalmette.  The Pelicans and Bears will play a doubleheader each day, each with start times of 2 PM from Suarez Stadium.  Nunez students, faculty, and staff will be admitted free both days with Nunez ID.