By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
The Baton Rouge Rougarou matched hits with the Victoria Generals Monday night, but could not generate enough runs in a 5-2 loss at Riverside Stadium.
Both teams finished with six hits and both teams committed one error. But one of Victoria’s hits was a 3-run home run and the Rougarou pitchers gave up seven walks and a few wild pitches to help the Victoria cause. The Rougarou drew only two walks.
Payton Cooper went 2-for-3 with an RBI double and Jackson Walker went 2-for-4 for the Rougarou. Josh Shelly and Landrey Wilkerson scored the only Rougarou runs. Derrald Moore Jr. and Adamo Stornello each had singles.
Newcomer Jack Rector out of Arkansas Tech, got the start and the loss. He threw three innings, allowing all five Victoria runs, all of them earned, on three hits. He walked five and struck out four. Holden Hess pitched three scoreless innings, giving up three hits, walking one and striking out one. Ethan Brister pitched one inning and Connor Spencer closed, walking one and striking out two.
The Generals went ahead 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a pair of walks and a home run by Levi Castilleja. The Generals led 4-0 before the Rougarou scored in the top of the fourth inning. Shelly drew a lead-off walk then Walker singled to move Shelly to third. Shelly scored on a sacrifice fly by Davis Meche.
The Rougarou trailed 5-1 after six innings. In the top of the seventh, Wilkerson was hit by a pitch and scored on Cooper’s double.
The Rougarou travel to play the Brazos Valley Bombers Tuesday night at 7 p.m.