Baton Rouge and Meridian squared off at Pete Goldsby Field in the final two games of this weekend's three-game series. The two teams split the afternoon doubleheader with Meridian winning game one 5-2, while the Bears bounced back to win game two 3-1.
In game one, Baton Rouge took an early 2-0 lead after the first inning, but that is all the scoring the Bears would manage during the 9-inning contest. Sophomore, left-hander Kelby Blalock started for BRCC and took the loss; however, lack of offensive production was the story of this game. Blalock threw five complete innings, giving up four runs on eight hits.
The Bears could only muster five hits in support. After the two run first, the best chance for Baton Rouge came in the 7th inning. Ridge Buisson started off with a double, followed by Cade Milazzo reaching base due to a Meridian error. Milazzo was able to steal second, but the two Bears were left stranded.
Buisson led the team with three hits (2 doubles, single); Austin Vicknair and Zach Zimmer were the only other Bears to produce a hit.
Mason Liles started game two for BRCC. After a rocky first inning, when Liles gave up two hits and the Eagles only run, he settled down to pitch a gem. Liles went six innings in the win, allowing the Eagles only five hits and the lone early run.
Through four innings, BRCC had four singles but was not able to produce any runs. All that changed in the fifth when Nicholas Gobert led off the inning with a double. The next batter, Zachary Zimmer, hit a single of his own that allowed Gobert to score due to a throwing error by the Eagles. Zimmer made his way to 3rd on the play due to the error.
Corey Free continued the inning with a walk and with Christopher White at the plate, Zimmer was able to score due to a wild pitch. The Bears led 2-1.
The Bears added an insurance run in the 6th after Chase Caldarera (double) scored from third on a sac-fly from Gobert.
The 3-1 lead was all the Bears needed to secure the win. Blake Hymel came in to pitch the 7th inning and record the save for Baton Rouge.
Baton Rouge will be back in action next weekend when the Bears travel to New Orleans to face Delgado in a three-game series. The teams are scheduled to play 2-7 inning games on Saturday, April 26th; followed by a single 9-inning game on Sunday.