Baseball unable to sustain lead against Louisiana Christian
PINEVILLE, La. - The defending Gulf Coast Athletic Conference regular season champion Wiley University baseball team took an early lead but struggled in the middle innings of a 13-7 loss against Louisiana Christian University Tuesday at Billy Allgood Field.
The loss ends a five-game winning streak. The Wildcats fall to 5-7 on the road. Jhan Carlos Javier and Smauri Abram led off the second with singles. A fly ball by Jaziel Martinez moved Javier to third. Abram stole second base. Abel Rodriguez Jr. reached on an error by the second baseman, which scored Javier and Abram. Ajari Camp drove in Rodriguez with a double. The Wildcats wouldn't score again until the eighth inning.
A two-out walk extended the third inning for Louisiana Christian, leading to a game-tying home run by Harrison Waxley. In the fourth inning, an error gave Louisiana Christian a runner in scoring position with one out. Wiley gave up three runs on three hits and trailed 7-4. It allowed another run in the fifth and three in the sixth.
Head coach Kendrick Biggs pulled his starters in the sixth inning. His reserves made the most of their opportunity with a rally in the eighth inning. Deekota Johnson led off with a walk and advanced on a single by Anthony Castaneda. Kai Woodard drove in Johnson with a single to center. Laker McPherson hit a two-RBI double to right, scoring Castaneda and Woodard.
Jalen Porter started and pitched two innings. He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three. Biggs threw seven pitchers to limit the strain on their arms and have them available to pitch in their next weekend series. Juan Pena threw two innings. Ethan Jones and Sammuel Urena each threw scoreless innings. Manuel Contreras pitched for the first time after making four appearances last season.
Wiley (16-9, 8-1 HBCUAC) will return home and host Talladega College for a three-game Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference series on Friday and Saturday. The Wildcats trail the Tornadoes by a game for first place.
For more coverage on the Wildcats visit https://wileyathletics.com/sports/bsb/index
About Wiley University Athletics
Wiley University sponsors 12 varsity sports: women's volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's indoor track and field, men's and women's outdoor track and field and baseball. It competes in the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and the Continental Athletic Conference for men's and women's soccer.
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