LSUA News Articles

LSUA CAPTURES FIRST RRAC TOURNAMENT TITLE SINCE 2018

May 10, 2022, 10:37 AM
For the first time since 2018, the LSUA baseball team has won the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.

STERLINGTON, La.—For the first time since 2018, the LSUA baseball team has won the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.

LSUA (33-14) accomplished that feat with a 13-2 over Houston-Victoria.

"It feels incredible," LSUA Interim Head CoachKody Gautreauxsaid. "The work that these guys have put in, the hours put in, the ups and downs, the wins and losses, everything has led us to this point.

"We've played 28 games on the road. I thought these guys were more prepared to handle a tournament like this than any team I've been a part of. This team showed they were willing to do anything and everything to get the job done."

LSUA swept through the RRAC Tournament, outscoring its competition 47-14 in the process.

Will Vice, playing in the biggest game in his young LSUA career, allowed just two runs in six innings against a red-hot UHV (24-26) offense.

"I pitched against them in our weekend series," Vice said. "I learned how to get those guys out. Go with fastballs and keep it out of the middle of the plate and stick to the outside edges and let them get themselves out."

Vice was one of six Generals on the All-Tournament team.

The Generals began fast with three runs in the first two innings, all of them scoring after the second out was recorded. In the first, the first two batters were retired, butJordan Ardoin's walk began a stretch of five consecutive Generals to reach.

Brant Leslie, who joined Vice on the All-Tournament Team, started the scoring with an RBI single. A wild pitch on a strikeout scored another run.

In addition to Vice and Leslie, catcherPeyton Marcanteland pitchersSeth TrahanandSlone Greaves made the All-Tournament team as well as second baseman and Tournament MVPCameron Daigle.

Ardoin hit an RBI double off the wall in the third inning to make it 3-0. It was the shortstop's 100thrun driven in during his LSUA career becoming just the third Generals player to reach that milestone.

LSUA's lead grew to 5-0 after RBI singles fromJulien Kliebertand Marcantel before the Jaguars found its way to on the scoreboard on a two-run home run off the bat of Amilcar Montanez.

But like always, LSUA was resilient, responding with a four-run inning to take back control of the contest.

Ivan Prejeanbegan the inning with a double before coming in to score on a failed pick-off attempt that sailed past the first baseman Zach Lee. Ardoin's second RBI hit and a Marcantel fielder's choice wrapped up the inning, as LSUA had a 9-2 advantage.

Broussard had the final two run-scoring hits, tallying a two-run double in the sixth and two-run single in the ninth to round out the scoring.

The junior center fielder went 3-for-5 in the game with a game-high four RBI.

A leadoff walk in the sixth by Vice caused LSUA to turn toAustin Manuel, who threw 2.2 innings of shutout ball, keeping the hot-hitting Jaguars off balance, quickly inducing a double play to erase the leadoff walk.

Team captainJacob Jensencame in and finished off the game by inducing a fly out toBryson Broussard to end the game, which set off a dogpile in the infield to celebrate the victory.

"We put a lot of work to get to this point," Jensen said. "I couldn't be happier to do this with this group of guys. This is a special group."

LSUA finds out where it is headed on Thursday at 4 p.m. during the selection show.

"It was an amazing weekend," Gautreaux said. "They created some memories that these guys will never forget, but we still have a lot of work to do."

 

Written by Jonathan Zenk, LSUA Sports Information Director