The Pioneers dug out of a huge hole, but couldn't close in a 15-10 loss to LSU-Shreveport in an elimination game in the Opening Round on Thursday. The Pilots got the scoring started with 2 outs and nobody on in the second. A single, a walk, and 5 straight singles brought home 6 runs to put the Pioneers way behind. MNU got on the board in the third when Clayton Brandt led off with the double and eventually scored on a wild pitch, but LSU-S scored 2 in the top of the fifth to extend the lead. In the bottom of the fifth, Trent Sullivan doubled and scored and Santiago Romero had a 2-out RBI single to make it 8-3. The Pilots extended the lead again with 2 more in the top of the sixth, but the Pioneers started to mount a comeback in the bottom of the inning. RBIs from Trent Sullivan, Jordan Eckley, and Santiago Romero made the score 10-6, and MNU was within shouting distance.
In the bottom of the seventh with 2 outs and nobody on, Jordan Jones drilled a solo homer to get within 3. Brandt then walked and Sullivan singled to bring Eckley to the plate as the tying run. Eckley hit a ball to the right-center gap where the center fielder dove and came up just short. The ball rolled to the fence, and Eckley circled the bases for a game-tying inside-the-park 3-run homer.LSU-S came back quickly, however, and scored 2 in the eighth and 3 in the ninth to take a 5-run lead. The Pioneers failed to score in their last 2 chances, and closed the season with a loss.
Trent Sullivan (2-6, 2 R, 2B, RBI),
Jordan Eckley (3-6, 3 R, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, SB),
Santiago Romero (3-4, 2 RBI, BB), and
Jordan Jones (1-2, R, HR, RBI, BB) led the offense.
MNU ends the season with a record of 34-23.
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