Bears fall in regular season finale to the Nunez Pelicans

Sunday, April 27, 2025: Baseball 

Chalmette, LA

The Baton Rouge Bears and the Nunez Pelicans squared off this afternoon at Noel Suarez Stadium to conclude their LCCAC series and the regular season. The game started as a back-and-forth affair, but a late seven-run rally by the Pelicans led them to a 15-7 victory due to the eight-inning run rule.

The Bears broke the trend of the Pelicans scoring first when Dillion Bird hit a home run over the centerfield fence, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead. However, the Pelicans quickly responded with a two-run homer by B. Gaubert, taking a 2-1 lead.

The Bears retook the lead in the top of the second with two runs, making it 3-2. Cooper Martin was hit by a pitch and scored on a single to centerfield by Aidan Machado. Shawn Driggers then hit a single off the wall, moving Machado to third base, and Jackson Martin drove in Machado with a single up the middle.

The back-and-forth continued as the Pelicans drove in two runs in the bottom of the second inning to retake the lead at 4-3. The Pelicans held the Bears scoreless for two innings and added another run in the bottom of the fourth, extending their lead to 5-3. The Bears took advantage of a throwing error by the Pelicans to score a run in the top of the fifth, pulling within one at 5-4. Kenneth Berard hit a double to centerfield and scored when Dillon Bird reached base on the Pelicans' third baseman's error.

Nunez led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run to right field by B. Louque. After five innings, the Pelicans held a 6-4 lead. Nunez added two more runs in the bottom of the sixth to increase their advantage to 8-4.

The Bears loaded the bases in the seventh inning with a hit by pitch to Kenneth Berard and back-to-back walks to Dillon Bird and Conner Kleinpeter. Cooper Martin cleared the bases with a triple to the right field corner, bringing the score to 8-7. The Bears had the tying run just 90 feet away at third base in the top of the eighth inning, but Aidan Machado, who led off with a single, was stranded.

In the bottom of the eighth, Nunez scored seven runs with two outs, increasing their lead to 15-7 and securing the run-rule victory over the Bears.

Cade Robin started on the mound for the Bears and took the loss, pitching five innings while allowing six runs on seven hits, walking three, and striking out seven. Tanner Cranford (1.0 inning), Klayton Wingfield (1.0 inning), Jaxon Adams (0.2 innings), and Jack Cowan (0.1 innings) provided relief for the Bears. E. Fuselier started on the mound for the Pelicans and was credited with the victory, pitching five innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, walking two, and striking out ten.

Bears Highlights:

Jackson Martin went 1 for 5 with 1 RBI 

Kenneth Berard went  1 for 4 with 2 runs and 1 HBP 

Dillion Bird went 1 for 2 with 2 runs, 1 RBI, 2 walks, and a home run 

Conner Kleinpeter went 1 run and 1 walk 

Cooper Martin went 1 for 3 with 1 run, 3 RBIs, and 1 triple 

Aidan Machado went 2 for 3 with 1 run, 1 RBI, and 1 walk 

Shawn Driggers went 1 for 4 

With the loss, the Bears finish the regular season with a record of 5-43 and 1-14 in conference play. The Pelicans conclude their regular season with a record of 33-17 and 8-10 in conference play. Despite the loss, the Bears still hold the all-time series record against Nunez with 24 wins and 21 losses.

The Bears will open the Region XXIII Division I Baseball Tournament this Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 1 PM at the Denham Springs High School baseball field. The Bears are seeded fourth and will play against the number one seed, LSUE Bengals. For full tournament details, visit our website.

For more information about the Bears baseball team, follow us on Twitter at @BRCC_Baseball and on Instagram and Facebook at @BRCCAthletics.