The Bossier Parish Community College Cavaliers completed a very unusual double play to end game two. That allowed them to capture a doubleheader sweep of the Paris Junior College Dragons Saturday afternoon at BPCC. The Cavaliers won game one 6-4 and hung to win game two 8-6.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Paris loaded the bases when new BPCC pitcher Matt Sandoval hit the Dragons’ nine-hole hitter Tristan Kalina in the back with a pitch. Paris’ leadoff hitter Tyler Mendoza then lifted a shallow fly ball to right field.
BPCC right fielder Cole Wade had just entered the game after starter Gavin Pelletier was hurt earlier in the inning trying to field Trevor Rugg’s pinch-hit base hit. As Wade made the catch, Paris catcher Kros Bay bluffed tagging up at third base. However, the runners at first and second did tag-up and tried to advance.
Wade’s throw came into shortstop Jordan Szush, who proceeded to run at Bay, who had come off the bag at third because he saw the other runners advancing.
As Bay retreated back to third to escape Szush, the Cavs shortstop wheeled around and threw to second base to try and get Jonathan Carillo, who was pinch running for Rugg. Szush’s throw was caught by center fielder Kyle Jones, who was alertly covering second amidst the confusion. Jones applied the tag to Carillo to complete the double play and preserve the Cavaliers win.
Game two was a back and forth affair throughout most of the game with the lead changing four times. After Paris had taken a 6-4 lead in the sixth on Kalina’s three-run homer, BPCC regained the lead in the seventh.
The Cavaliers greeted new Dragons pitcher Cannon Davis with three straight base hits, including Dragos’ RBI double, which tied the game at six. Dragos would eventually score on Adam Thompson’s sacrifice fly to give BPCC a 7-6 lead at the end of the seventh. BPCC would add an insurance run in the eighth on Dragos’ safety squeeze, which scored Kyle Jones, who had led off the inning with a single.
After Paris grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Thompson belted a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning to give the Cavs a 3-1 lead. Paris would score a run in the second to cut the BPCC lead to one before Ward hit a solo shot in the third on a 0-2 count.
Konner McDermott scattered five hits over two-and-a-third innings of relief. He did not allow a run, walked one and struck out three to earn the victory. Matt Sandoval, who was the beneficiary of that odd double play that ended the game, picked up the save.
Trailing 4-0 in the fourth inning of game one, BPCC sent 11 batters to the plate, scoring six runs on six hits to take a 6-4 lead. Daniel Blake and Jone both had two-RBI singles in the big inning. The Cavaliers used four pitchers in the seven-inning game.
Benton product Will Hine, who stuck out the side in the fifth, picked up the win in relief despite just pitching one inning. Alex Boone, who would start game two, earned the save in game one as he struck out the Dragons designated hitter Connor Anderson with the bases loaded to end the game.
Pelletier, Szush and first baseman Jake Ryan each collected two hits in the game as the Cavaliers out-hit the Dragons 12-9.
With the two wins, BPCC improves to 17-29 overall and 7-19 in Region XIV play. The two losses drops PJC’s record to 19-31 overall and 8-19 in conference. The Cavaliers have four games remaining on its schedule, Monday at Brookhaven then a three-game conference series next weekend against Panola to finish out the season.
— Charlie Cavell, BPCC athletic coordinator
