LSU Shreveport Baseball Lands at No. 12 in Final NAIA Poll
SHREVEPORT, La. -- LSU Shreveport baseball closed the regular season ranked No. 12 in the final NAIA Baseball Coaches' Top 25 Poll, remaining among the nation's top programs as the Pilots turn their focus to postseason play.
LSUS, which opened the year ranked No. 1 and spent much of the season inside the top five before appearing at No. 7 in the previous poll, dropped to No. 12 in the nation in the final regular-season rankings. The Pilots enter postseason play at 38-12 overall and 20-7 in Red River Athletic Conference play, riding a four-game winning streak.
The Pilots have continued to be one of the most dangerous offensive teams in the NAIA, batting .348 as a team with 507 runs scored, 543 hits, 94 doubles, an NAIA-leading 38 triples, and 56 home runs. LSUS has also compiled 451 RBIs, 198 stolen bases, and leads the nation with 43 sacrifice flies, highlighting the club's ability to generate runs in multiple ways.
Leading the offense has been Carlos Sanchez, who has turned in one of the top individual seasons in the country. Sanchez is hitting .388 with 76 hits, 58 runs scored, 17 doubles, an NAIA-best 13 triples, 11 home runs, and 75 RBIs, while adding 35 stolen bases. He also carries a .457 on-base percentage and an .816 slugging percentage, continuing to pace the Pilots at the plate.
LSUS has also received significant production throughout the lineup, including Makana Olaso with 15 home runs and 58 RBIs, Quaterrion Walton contributing 55 hits and 35 stolen bases, and Spencer Sullivan adding 50 hits, 53 runs scored, and 38 RBIs, giving the Pilots one of the deepest offenses in the country.
On the mound, Brock Lucas has anchored the pitching staff with a 9-2 record, a 1.93 ERA, and 102 strikeouts in 79.1 innings, while opponents are hitting just .240 against the Pilots as a staff. LSUS enters the postseason with a 3.37 team ERA, 408 strikeouts, and five complete games, backed by strong seasons from David Hankins (7-1, 3.14 ERA) and Calvin Shepherd, as the pitching staff continues to complement the Pilots' explosive offense.
With the regular season complete, LSU Shreveport now turns its attention to the postseason as the Pilots open play in the RRAC Baseball Championship Tournament against Texas A&M-Texarkana on Saturday, May 2 at 5 p.m. at Pilot Field in Shreveport, La.
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