By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
The Victoria Generals spoiled the Rougarou’s homecoming Tuesday night, taking a 6-5 win at Pete Goldsby Field.
The loss ended the Rougarou’s 3-game win streak, but it also ended a string of seven straight games for the squad, six of them played in four different cities throughout Texas. Baton Rouge went 5-2 during the string, improving to 8-5 overall. The loss put the team a half a game out of first place behind the Acadiana Cane Cutters (7-3).
“Our guys have been grinding and competing for nine innings,” Rougarou coach Jeff “Rooster” Southall said. “I told our team how proud I am of taking five of the last seven and we’re right where we want to be at the quarter pole.”
Tuesday’s game was notable for a flurry of extra base hits by both teams – six in all — as well as a 20-minute delay due to lighting – not lightning. Almost midway through the game, some of the lights along the third base line malfunctioned. Field officials decided to turn the lights off and back on to see if that rectified the situation. It did not, but officials elected to allow play to resume.
The Rougarou scored runs in the second, third and fourth innings and two in the fifth but could not overtake the Generals.
Trailing 1-0 after the second, Victoria took the lead in the third inning on four hits, including back-to-back triples, and a walk. They added three more runs in the fourth inning on four more hits, including a home run by Easton Dowell.
Victoria finished with 14 hits off of four Rougarou pitchers. Starter Payton Cooper gave up all six runs on eight hits, walked four and struck out two.
The Rougarou got eight hits off of four pitchers. Generals starter Jack Hagan gave up seven of those hits and all five Rougarou runs. He walked none and struck out nine. Victoria walked only one batter on the night.
Will Safford had two hits, including a triple, and scored two runs. Josh Shelly and Meche hit doubles.
The Rougarou will have the next two days off before traveling to Victoria to face the Generals again. They then travel to Sequin to play the River Monsters on Saturday before returning to Goldsby Field on Sunday to host Brazos Valley.