The Baton Rouge Rougarou took care of lots of business Thursday night with an 8-4 come-from-behind win over the Lake Charles Gumbeaux Gators at Pete Goldsby Field. After a 90 minute rain delay of the start, the game was shortened to eight innings due to lightning in the area.
The win was the 35th of the season for the Rougarou and gives the team the second half championship of the Louisiana Division in the Texas Collegiate League. That comes with home field advantage in the playoffs, which begin Tuesday night. The Rougarou were the first half Louisiana Division champs in June.
Blaise Priester, who leads the TCL in RBIs, got three on Thursday, giving him 49 on the season. His bases loaded double in the bottom of the seventh inning sealed the win for the Rougarou (35-9).
Josh Shelly had a pair of hits and got his 36th RBI of the season. Dalton Wilson also had a pair of hits.
Four different pitchers saw action on the mound, giving up nine hits but striking out 14. Starter Dylan Thompson gave up five hits, walked none and struck out five. Trent Jordan, Ira Austin (WP), and Jimmy Johnson all pitched in relief.
The Rougarou had to rally twice for Thursday's win. They spotted Lake Charles two runs in the top of the first inning and trailed 3-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth. At that time the Rougarou had only two hits.
But Taylor Walters led off the fourth inning with a walk. With one out, Jhonnatan Ferrebus walked, then Dalton Wilson walked to load the bases. Matthew Keller then singled to score Walters and Ferrebus, giving Baton Rouge a 4-3 lead.
The Gators tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning, but the Rougarou rallied again in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs on Priester's bases-loaded double. He would advance on a wild pitch and score on a single by Walters.
Lake Charles got one more run in the top of the eighth.
The Rougarou travel to Lake Charles to face the Gumbeaux Gators on Saturday, then will return home for the final two games of the regular season against the Victoria Generals.
By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
Photo by Carla Walker