LEWISTON – Lights out starting pitching and timely hits combined to help No. 9 LC State sweep Saturday’s doubleheader against No. 2 LSU Shreveport. Shane Spencer and Decker Stedman each put together some of the strongest outings by Warriors this year, the LC State defense put together highlight reel plays, and Magnum Hofstetter made his first home run as a Warrior one to remember.
“Exceptional starting pitching today from Shane and Decker,” Head Coach Jake Taylor said. “Played well defensively and, with the combination of those two, we will always have a chance to win games.”
The wins improve the LC State record to 25-9. The Warriors are now 4-1 against top-10 ranked NAIA teams on the season. Friday’s suspended game will resume on Sunday at 11 a.m. ahead of the series finale.
GAME ONE: No. 9 LC State def. No. 2 LSU Shreveport 4-3 (10 Inn.)
A line drive throw from Nick Seamons in left cut down a batter trying to stretch a single to a double and Spencer struck out a batter to minimize the damage in the top of the first. LSUS put the first run of the series on the board with a solo shot by Jayden Morgan.
The Warriors answered in the bottom of the inning with their first run of the series. Carter Booth was hit by a pitch and took second on a groundout by Seamons. A wild pitch on a walk to Dominic Signorelli put runners on the corners before Jack Sheward evened the score with an RBI single through the left side.
LC State kept LSUS off the board in the second after a strikeout by Spencer and a runner caught stealing by Jakob Marquez ended the frame with a double play. The Pilots attempted a double steal in the third but a play between Marquez and Hofstetter caught the runner at the plate. Spencer ended the inning with a punchout.
The Pilots took the lead in the top of the sixth with a two-out two-run blast by Josh Gibson. The home run ended Spencer’s day after 5.2 innings and 109 pitches. Jantzen Lucas came out of the bullpen to end get the Warriors out of a jam.
A two-run bottom of the sixth knotted the score once more. Charlie Updegrave led off the frame with a walk and back-to-back singles by Brandon Cabrera and Pu’ukani De Sa brought in a run. Pinch hitter Noah Weintraub walked to load the bases and a walk to Seamons tied the game 3-3 after six.
Cameron Smith came out of the bullpen with two on in the seventh and retired the next two batters to keep the game tied. He worked a 1-2-3 eighth and ninth before striking a batter out in the 10th as the game went to extra innings.
Hofstetter played hero in the bottom of the 10th inning. The senior’s first home run as a Warrior was launched in walk-off fashion to give LC State a 4-3 victory over the second-ranked team in the NAIA.
Cabrera led LC State with three hits in the contest and Booth had two. Smith earned the win, his fourth of the season, after striking out two in 3.2 hitless and scoreless innings. Spencer struck out six in his 5.2 innings.
GAME TWO: No. 9 LC State def. No. 2 LSU Shreveport 8-3
After a three-up, three-down frame by Stedman in the top of the first, the Warriors put up six runs in the home half of the frame. Booth led off the inning with a base hit to left center before Seamons and Signorelli loaded the bases on free passes.
Sheward and Cabrera tallied back-to-back singles to plate a pair and a groundout by De Sa made it 3-0. Updegrave delivered with two on for a three-run bomb to dead center to double the advantage to 6-0 in the first.
Stedman was solid through the next four innings to maintain LC State’s 6-0 lead.
The Warriors added on in the bottom the fifth. Signorelli doubled and Sheward and Cabrera each singled to bring a run across. A double by Updegrave made it an 8-0 advantage.
Jace Hanson took over on the mound in the top of the sixth and gave up three runs on four hits. He struck out a batter to get LC out of a jam. The senior fanned two more in the seventh to work around a leadoff double and retired LSUS in order in the eighth.
Landon Webb came on in relief in the top of the ninth and closed out the contest.
Sheward, Cabrera and Updegrave each had two hits and Updegrave drove in four runs. Stedman earned the win after five scoreless innings. He gave up just three hits. Hanson struck out three in his three innings.
UP NEXT
The Warriors will complete Friday’s suspended game on Sunday before playing the final game of the series. Action at Harris Field starts at 11 a.m.
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