The Baton Rouge Rougarou rallied late, but let the Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators get by with an 8-7 win Wednesday night at Joe Miller Ballpark.
The Rougarou spotted Lake Charles four runs in the first inning on four hits – including a leadoff single and 2-run home run by the Gators' Reid Snider. Baton Rouge then held the Gators off until they scored two in the bottom of the sixth and two more in the bottom of the eighth.
In between, the Rougarou rallied for three runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to take a short-lived lead.
The Rougarou were held to only four hits, including a fifth-inning double by Brock Louque. Jacob Keys had a pair of RBIs. The Gators also generously gave the Rougarou a slew of free passes – 12 walks and three hit batters – they did not take advantage of.
Baton Rouge’s five pitchers gave up 12 hits, walked five and struck out seven.
“We just don’t put complete games together right now,” Rougarou coach Mike Forbes said. “Even in the wins that we’ve had, we’ll explode a few innings and next thing you know it’s back cold. That’s not a recipe for sustained success. We’ve got to have quality at-bats and quality innings on the mound. But, we’re getting there. There’s not rolling over. We’ve got to clean up some things. Left so many runners on base.”
After six meetings against the Gumbeaux Gators, going 3-3, the Rougarou will travel to Victoria, Texas, to take on the General Thursday night at 7 p.m.
By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer