Baseball Spoils Tougaloo’s Senior Day With Offensive Explosion

JACKSON, Miss. – The Rust College baseball program racked up 17 runs, 13 stolen bases, 12 base knocks, 11 walks and six extra-base hits but still needed a pair of scores in the ninth to emerge with a 17-15 Senior Day spoiling of Tougaloo College's celebration to take sole possession of fifth place.

The Basics: 

• Score
• • Rust – 17
  • Tougaloo – 15

• Records
• • Rust (13-27, 9-9 Gulf Coast)
  • Tougaloo (12-29, 8-10 Gulf Coast)

• Location
• • Jackson, Mississippi – Earl Sanders Field

• Series History (Since 2005)
• • Tougaloo 22-16-1 (42.3%)

• Winning Streak (Since 2005)
• • Rust (W2) | Tougaloo's Last Win: April 13, 2024 (Game 1, 7-4)
    

Rust Top Performers:

• William Baker collected the pitching win in relief a day after striking out nine as a starter, throwing the final 1.2 innings without scoring and striking out two Bulldogs.

• Matthew LeBlanc did a little bit of everything for Head Coach John Bates, going 2-for-3 (.667) with a game-high four steals, three walks and three runs scored on top of an RBI plus a double.

• The terrific trio of Christian Hill, Shemaar Stapleton and Jalik Demar split the run producer crown for the Blue and White as each drove in three ribbies apiece (nine total) in addition to combining for a six runs, five hits, five walks, and three steals with Hill hitting a homer, Stapleton tripling, and Demar lacing a double.

• Ismeal Recio was the other player to not have this contest negatively affect his ERA, hurling a single frame in which the only baserunner reached via walk.

Next:

• One more Tuesday non-conference doubleheader before GCACtion ends next weekend as the Bearcats head to Tuscaloosa for a twin-bill with Stillman at 1 and 4:30 p.m. in Tiger Park.

#BatesBall | #PawsUp