Pilots Come Out On Top in Close Battle with Texas A&M-Texarkana, 7-4

   On Monday, the Louisiana State University Shreveport Pilots (LSUS) held on to complete the sweep of the Texas A&M-Texarkana Eagles to improve to 37-0.

   The Eagles scored first in the top of the third inning when Austin Kerns drove a run in on a groundout. The Pilots struck back emphatically in the bottom of the third when Diego Aragon ripped a line drive over the center field wall for a two-run homer. Later in the inning, DJ Walker hit a long three-run home run out to right field to extend the Pilot lead to 5-1. In the top of the fifth, the Eagles inched closer with a Conner Owens RBI single, then again with a Gabe Baker two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-4 LSUS. In the bottom of the eighth, Jose Sallorin came through with a two-run double, driving in the Pilots first runs since the third inning. In the top of the ninth, Lex Meinderts completed a five out save to clinch his fifth save of the season.

   Cobe Reeves took the hill for LSUS and earned the win, going five innings giving up two earned runs on six hits, walking one and striking out five. Harrison Barnett got the loss for Texas A&M-Texarkana as he went six innings, giving up five earned runs in eight hits, walking two and striking out four.

   For LSUS, Sallorin and Vantrel  Reed tallied two hits each. Walker had three RBIs, and Sallorin and Aragon drove in two each. For the Eagles, Baker had two hits and two RBIs.

   The Pilots are back in action on Tuesday as they travel to Nacogdoches, Texas to take on NCAA Division I opponent, Stephen F. Austin University. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.