Longview, Texas - The Centenary baseball team benefited from excellent pitching and timely hitting en route to a 6-2 victory over the LeTourneau University YellowJackets on Tuesday evening in a non-conference contest at Conrad-Vernon Field.
The Diamond Gents (5-3) were facing the YellowJackets (7-8) for the first time since the 2021 season and extended their winning streak against them to five.
Centenary finished with eight hits, drew five walks, and played error-free ball. The Maroon and White struck out seven times and left six on base, but stole six bases and seven Diamond Gents' pitchers combined to limit LeTourneau to just four hits.
The YellowJackets scored first, pushing across a run in the bottom of the third as Lane Williams scored on a wild pitch by Centenary starter freshman LHP Cody Myers (Friendswood, Texas). The Diamond Gents tied the game in the next half inning as sophomore DH Cade LaBruyere (Iowa, La.) scored on a wild pitch by LeTourneau reliever Hayden Norris.
Centenary extended its lead with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to make it 3-1. Senior CF Gary Hewitt (Cedar Park, Texas) hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth and junior C Austyn Benoit (Welsh, La.) drove in LaBruyere with a single down the right field line in the sixth.
The Diamond Gents then padded their lead with three runs in the seventh. Freshman RF Carson Livesay (Lafayette, La.) drove in freshman 3B Clay Menard (Berwick, La.) with an RBI single, Hewitt scored on a sac fly by junior 2B Jobee Boone (Opelousas, La.), and Livesay crossed home plate on an RBI groundout by LaBruyere.
Dane Jones hit a solo homer in the eighth for the YellowJackets to make it 6-2, LeTourneau's first hit since Lane Williams singled in the third inning. Centenary's staff recorded 12 strikeouts as three YellowJackets struck out at least twice.
Benoit finished 2-4 with an RBI, Livesay went 2-5 with an RBI and a run scored, and Hewitt was 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored. The Diamond Gents stole six bases, which is tied for 10th place for a single game in the division III (2012-present) era. Livesay stole two, and Hewitt, Benoit, Boone, and freshman 1B Collin Pitts (Lufkin, Texas) each had one. LaBruyere went 1-3 with an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk, and Pitts was 0-2 but walked twice and scored a run. Freshman LF Lenny Forth (Flower Mound, Texas) went 1-4.
Myers went 2.2 innings and allowed one earned run and two hits with one walk and three strikeouts. He faced 10 batters and threw 38 pitches, 24 for strikes. Freshman RHP Jacob Broussard (Houston, Texas) relieved Myers went 2/3 of an inning and senior RHP Christian Diaz (Houston, Texas) came in and went 1.2 innings and struck out two as he picked up the win. Freshman Jacob Bareswill (Monroe, La.) went an inning with a walk and a K, senior RHP Peyton Thibodeaux (Lake Arthur, La.) struck out the only batter he faced, freshman RHP Cade Josting (Bossier City, La.) went 1.1 innings, and senior RHP Parker Primeaux (Lake Charles, La.) went the final 1.1 innings and struck out three.
Shane Salzman started for LeTourneau and went two innings. He did not allow a run or a hit and struck out a pair. Sven relievers followed with the fourth, TJ Spitdowski (0-1) getting the loss as he allowed a run and a walk.
Centenary now heads to the Memphis, Tenn. suburb of Millington for three neutral-site games at USA Baseball Complex. The Diamond Gents will face LaGrange College on Friday at 10 a.m., the University of Chicago on Saturday at 4 p.m., and Westfield State University on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
See the complete Gents' season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/bsb/2022-23/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests. Please note that all dates and times are subject to change.
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