LSUS Survives Southwest in Extra-Inning Thriller to Punch Ticket to Sterlington

SHREVEPORT, La. -- LSU Shreveport is headed back to Sterlington.

Carlos Sanchez delivered the walk-off RBI double in the bottom of the 11th inning, lifting LSU Shreveport to an 8-7 victory over the University of the Southwest in the second game of the Red River Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament First Round on Saturday evening at Pilot Field. With the win, the No. 2-seeded Pilots improved to 38-12 overall and completed the opening-round sweep to advance to the RRAC Baseball Championship Tournament in Sterlington, Louisiana, May 1-3. The No. 7-seeded Mustangs finished their season at 15-32.

The deciding blow came after Jackson Anderson flied out to begin the 11th, but Spencer Sullivan sparked the rally with a double to left. Sanchez followed by driving a 3-2 pitch into right field, plating Sullivan with the winning run and sending the Pilots spilling out of the dugout in celebration. Sanchez finished 3-for-6 with two RBIs, including the game-winner, while Sullivan added three hits and scored twice. Dorien Jackson also turned in a six-hit performance, going 6-for-6 with an RBI and two runs scored to pace a 15-hit LSUS attack.

The game swung back and forth throughout the evening. Southwest struck first with a two-run second inning, capitalizing on a hit batter and a pair of timely hits, but LSUS answered in the bottom half when Brett Justice delivered an RBI single and Rodrigo Bravo lifted a sacrifice fly to tie it at 2-2. The Pilots grabbed their first lead in the fourth, scoring twice on a Bravo RBI single and an RBI groundout from Nathaniel De La Cruz for a 4-2 advantage.

The Mustangs refused to go quietly. Southwest erupted for a four-run sixth inning to reclaim the lead at 6-4, fueled by RBI production from Mark Gonzales and Alex Montiel, while Alesandro Morrison came through with a key two-run single in the frame. Gonzales finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs, Montiel scored twice and drove in a run, and Vyncent Chavez added two hits and scored twice for the Mustangs. Tim Sedillo also contributed a 2-for-5 night as Southwest totaled 10 hits.

LSUS chipped away, then delivered a big response in the eighth. After Southwest added a run in the top half for a 7-4 cushion, the Pilots answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Kobe White drove in one, Quaterrion Walton delivered a two-run double to center, and suddenly the game was tied at 7-7. LSUS threatened again in the ninth when Sullivan scored on Sanchez's triple to put the Pilots ahead briefly, but Southwest answered in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly from Maverick Chavez and an RBI single by Trevor Layton to force extra innings.

The pitching staffs kept both teams alive deep into the night. David Hankins gave LSUS five innings in the start, allowing four runs while striking out six. Cade Robin and Joan Roman combined for 1.4 scoreless innings in relief to stabilize the game, while Rhys Francis and Virot Siharath bridged critical late frames. Camden Stephens (3-0) earned the win after tossing a scoreless 11th inning with three strikeouts.

Southwest's staff also battled through pressure situations. Major Byrd gave the Mustangs a strong start, working 4.1 innings and allowing three runs. Kobe Carpio provided valuable length in relief, and Keigo Wajima recorded a key out in extra innings. Alesandro Morrison (3-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing the walk-off run in the 11th despite keeping LSUS quiet for stretches late in the contest.

Defensively, the game was far from clean—LSUS committed two errors and Southwest made one—but both sides made crucial plays in high-leverage moments. The Mustangs stranded 13 runners, while the Pilots left nine aboard, underscoring the tension of a game that repeatedly teetered in either direction.

With the opening-round sweep complete, the Pilots now turn their attention to the RRAC Baseball Championship Tournament in Sterlington, Louisiana, set for May 1-3.