Jeff Nadeau (3-0) kept the visiting team off balance after picking the win against La. Tech last week. Nadeau picked up his third win of the season as he threw six solid innings tonight scattering five hits, allowing one earned run and striking out five SAU hitters.
"Jeff attacked the zone tonight with all three of his pitches and when you do that you are going to win a lot of ballgames," said Head Coach Rocke Musgraves.
Richard Pharr and Turner Brasher kept the visitors off the board. Pharr threw one inning and struck out one while Brasher tossed an inning and a third and also struck out one batter.
The Pilots got on the board early and often with five runs in the second and third innings. Chase Wentz led off the second inning with a triple and scored on a throwing error by the SAU second baseman. Stephen Hobbins got the second run home with a sacrifice fly.
Andrew Blubaugh drove in a run with a single to left field to give the Pilots a 3-0 lead. Andrew Brouillette followed with a sacrifice fly and then Kevin Smith ripped an RBI-single to right field to increase the lead to 5-0 although the Pilots left the bases loaded.
The Pilots were able to deliver the knock-out blow in the bottom of the third as Brandon Bravata cleared the bases with a triple to increase the lead to 8-0. Kevin Smith hit his 10th homer of the year, this one a two-run shot to right field to give the Pilots a 10-0 lead after three complete innings of play.
LSU Shreveport added their final two runs in the fifth with John James driving in a run with a double and he later scored on Curtis Beaudoin's single to right center field to put the Pilots up 12-0 after five.
Southern Arkansas scored one run in the sixth and three in the top of the eighth but it was not enough as the Pilots were too much for the Muleriders on Tuesday night in Shreveport.
"This is a great win for us. I have a lot of respect for Coach Gum and the SAU program; they do things the right way, which makes this win that much more special," said Coach Musgraves.
The Pilots have now won two games in a row and 11 of their last 12 games. The next game for the Pilots will be on Saturday afternoon in New Orleans versus GCAC opponent the Loyola Wolfpack with the double dip set for 1:00 p.m. The final game of the three-game series will be on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
