The No. 14 Central Methodist Baseball program dropped two games to No. 4 LSU-Shreveport Saturday afternoon in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Eagles were just edged in game one, 4-3, before falling to the Pilots in game two, 9-5.

CMU now stands at 6-4 entering conference play, while the Pilots improve to 16-0.

Game 1

No 4 LSU Shreveport 4

No. 14 CMU 3

Foster Seitz got the start on the bump for CMU, while Isaac Rhode got the nod for LSU-S. With two outs in the top of the first, Tanner Sears connected on the game’s first base hit with a single to left field.

Ryan Malzahn tripled to right field immediately after to give Central a 1-0 lead after the first inning.

The Eagles doubled their lead in the top of the fifth, as Sears singled to left field to bring in Kyle Williams from second base.

LSU-S was still looking for its first base hit of the game in the bottom half of the inning, as Seitz had been lights out through the first couple of innings.

Shreveport pushed across two runs in the inning off two base hits and excellent baserunning. LSU-S plated two more in the sixth, taking a 4-2 lead following a triple and a single up the middle.

Down by two in the seventh, the Eagles’ David Soriano began the inning with a single to right center field with hopes of kickstarting a rally.

With two away and Soriana now at second, Kyle Williams connected on a base hit to bring Soriano in and cut the deficit to one.

However, Central was unable to bring the game-tying run across the plate, as a fly out to right field ended the game.

Central finished the game with five hits, with Sears being the only Eagle to record a multi-hit game.

Game 2:

No. 4 LSU-Shreveport 9

No. 14 CMU 5

LSU-S came out hot in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring five runs in the opening inning.

The Eagles got their first baserunner in the top of the second, courtesy of a single from Soriano to left center. But Central was unable to bring the run across the plate.

Malzahn was Central’s first runner to cross the plate in the fourth inning, scoring on a fielder’s choice. CMU added one more to their tally in the sixth inning, as Soriano collected his second base hit of the game and Carlos Negron scored for the Eagles.

However, LSU-S responded in the bottom half, scoring four runs on four base hits to stretch their lead to 8-2.

Sears singled with one away in the seventh inning, and with two outs, pinch-runner Peyton Becker came across to score as Malzahn singled through the left side.

Central would continue to rally in the next inning, putting two more runs on the board with two away.

With three outs left to work with in the ninth and trailing 9-5, Malzahn led the rally efforts with a single to begin the inning. But LSU-S’ pitching staff proved to be too strong, making quick work of the next three Eagle batters to end the game.

Soriano led Central’s offense with three hits in five at-bats with a pair of RBI. Both Sears and Malzahn tallied two hits.

Central will turn its attention to conference play as they square off against No. 25 MidAmerica Nazarene for a four-game weekend series beginning at noon on Friday in Olathe, Kansas. The Eagles make their home debut with a four-game series against Heart opponent Baker March 8 and 9. Their original home opener on February 13 was cancelled due to weather.