The Baton Rouge Rougarou keeps finding ways to win.
After giving up three runs in the eighth inning to fall behind 3-2 to the Brazos Valley Bombers, the Rougarou loaded the bases in the ninth scored on a walk-off hit-by-pitch to take a 4-3 victory. The win extended the Rougarou’s win streak to four in a row and improve the team to 7-2 on the season.
The Rougarou held on to a 1-0 lead from the third inning until the seventh when they added one more run. But the Bombers rallied in the top of the eighth, without the benefit of a hit. Rougarou pitching, which had held the Bombers to four hits through seven innings, unraveled a little in the eighth, with three walks and two hit batters. There also was a costly wild pitch and a catcher’s interference call that helped the Bombers take a 3-2 lead.
But Baton Rouge has showed it knows how to rally. Nicholas Riggs drew a lead of walk then Sutton Lewis walked. After a pitching change and a groundout that moved the runners. Taylor Walters was intentionally walked to load the bases. Ben Robichaux was hit by a pitch to score Riggs, tying the game at 3-3. Josh Shelly hit into a fielder’s choice that got Lewis out at home. But then Blaise Priester was hit by the next pitch to score Walters for the win.
“(That was) a hard-fought game and we faced a lot of adversity,” Rougarou coach Stephen Klein said. “It was great in every way and this was definitely my favorite win so far. This team has heart and I’m all here for it.”
The Rougarou finished with six hits off of four Bombers pitchers.
Walters finished 2-for-3 on the night with an RBI, a run and two walks. Riggs scored two runs. Robichaux had two RBIs.
Starting pitcher Dylan Thompson allowed no runs and only two hits in five innings, striking out eight and walking none. Caleb Ougel allowed two hits. Ira Austin gave up three runs – one earned – on no hits and two walks. He struck out two. Jared Adams got the win, giving up no runs and one hit in 1 1/3 innings of work.
The Rougarou will be back in action Friday against the Bombers at Pete Goldsby Field.
By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
Photo by Carla Walker