By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
The Baton Rouge Rougarou took a 4-0 lead and a no-hitter into the seventh inning Friday night, but once again let the Seguin River Monsters off the hook. Seguin scored seven unanswered runs, including three in the top of the 10th, then held off a Rougarou rally to take a 7-6 victory at Pete Goldsby Field.
The Rougarou are in a bit of a slump, having lost seven of their last eight games and four in a row. Baton Rouge dropped to 11-12 on the season. The Rougarou and Seguin series is tied at 3-3 this season.
Once again, the Rougarou started strong, scoring four runs in the second inning on five hits. With one out, Sully Stringer singled, then Mozell Little III singled. T.J. Grines singled to score Stringer. Little scored and Grines advanced on a steal, then Josh Shelly singled to drive in Grines. Austin O’Malley walked then Derrald Moore Jr. singled to score Shelly.
The Rougarou held that lead over the next four innings, silencing the Seguin bats. Starting pitcher Gavin Green did not give up a hit and walked one batter in the fourth inning. But things got rough in the seventh inning. Seguin’s Hector Rodriguez broke up the no-hitter and the River Monsters went on to knock three more hits and score two runs before Green was relieved by Holden Hess with two out. Hess gave up a run-scoring single and hit a batter to load the bases before retiring the side. The River Monsters finished the game with 10 hits.
Seguin tied the game at 4-4 in the eighth inning on a walk, a pair of singles and an error. After a scoreless ninth inning, Seguin scored three runs on three hits and a Rougarou error in the 10th.
The Rougarou tried to rally back in the bottom of the 10th. With Little on second to start the inning under international tie-breaker rules and a new pitcher on the mound, Grines walked. Shelly drove in both runs with a double. He went to third on a grounder by O’Malley, but was left stranded when the next two Rougarou batters struck out swinging.
The Rougarou finished with 15 hits. Grines was 4-for-5 with two runs and one RBI. Shelly was 3-for-6 with three RBIs and one run scored. His double in the 10th inning was the only extra base hit on the night. Moore went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Stringer went 2-for-5 and scored a run. Jason Hawkins was 2-for-3 and Little was 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
The Rougarou will host the Brazos Valley Bombers Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Goldsby Field.