The University of the Southwest hosted Louisiana State University Shreveport this weekend for a tough battle within the conference. Shreveport came into the matchup at the top of the RRAC standings and ranked 4^th in the national polls. The Mustangs were looking to build off their series win from last weekend over Xavier (LA.). It would be a tough weekend, though, as LSU Shreveport would sweep the series and drop USW to a 16-16 record.
 
GAME 1
The Pilots scored in the 3^rd inning with an RBI single to make it 1-0. They would add another in the 4^th inning with another RBI single to extend their lead to two.
 
The Mustangs answered with a run in the bottom half of the 4^th when Omar Baldenegro scored off a wild pitch, cutting the lead in half. 
 
The tight game would continue until the 6^th inning when Shreveport added two more runs via two RBI singles off of start Chisum Rush, who battled tough for the Mustangs going 6.1 innings. 
The Pilots would blow things open in the 7^th inning by putting up nine runs and capping that rally off with a three-run home run. 
 
The Mustangs would tack a late run in the bottom half when Derrick Martinez reached on an error, allowing Steven Martinez to score, but USW would fall 13-2.
 
GAME 2
Looking for a bounce back in the second game, the Mustangs would get it going early when Carson Miller blasted a 2-run home run in the 1^st inning to give USW the early lead.
 
Shreveport would quickly answer back with a 2-run home run of their own in the top of the 2^nd inning off starter Cody Stone. Stone would have a solid outing for the Mustangs, going seven innings, striking out six, and only allowing three earned runs. 
 
The scoring would remain tied at two until the Pilots broke through in the top of the 7^th inning with a 2-out RBI double to give them the lead. 
 
The USW offense would only sit back briefly as they would work to get the bases loaded and bring in a run with a Hayden Woods walk. The next batter, Gavin VanGronigen, brought in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly. 
 
It would prove to be a challenging game as the Pilots would return and retake the lead with another 2-run home run.  
 
Another answer would come from the Mustang offense when Jesus Baldonado would safety squeeze in a run to tie the game. Isaiah Garcia would later reach on an error to allow another run in and give USW the lead going into the 9^th inning. 
 
The door could not be shut on Shreveport as they would tie the game with an RBI double in the top of the 9^th. The Pilots would add two in the top of the 10^th and shut down the USW offense in the bottom half to give themselves a tough 8-6 win. 
 
GAME 3
Shreveport's offense continued to get things going as they began scoring in the 3^rd inning with three runs off a pair of RBI doubles and an RBI single to make it 3-0.
 
Hayden Woods would help start the scoring for the Mustangs with an RBI single in the bottom half of the 3^rdinning. Next, Gavin VanGronigen would single to right field to bring in another run. Carson Miller would then add his own RBI single to bring in Woods and tie the game at three.  
 
In the top of the 4^th inning, LSUS would lead off the inning with a solo shot to right field to give them a 4-3 lead. With the bases loaded and two outs in the inning, the Pilots would get a triple to right field, just off the glove of Carlos Jaquez-Munoz, to clear the bases. An RBI single from LSUS in the 6^th inning would extend their lead to 8-3. 
 
The Mustangs would get one back in the bottom of the 6^th with an Omar Baldenegro sacrifice fly. Shreveport would add seven runs in the final three innings of the ballgame to make it 15-4, solidifying their lead and taking the series from USW. 
 
Head Coach Steve Appel had this to say following the series, "I think our guys competed all weekend, we just didn't have the pitching to contain them offensively. We had our chances in game two to sneak a win, but just couldn't come away with it."
 
"Overall I think that as long as we learn from this series, we can get better for the remainder of the year. We have been tested with injuries all year and we just need some guys to step up to fill those voids. There is no doubt in my mind that our guys won't put up a fight for the rest of the year." 
 
USW Baseball will host Wayland Baptist University on Tuesday for a midweek game before welcoming in RRAC foe Texas College next weekend. Continue to follow USW Athletics and USW Baseball on all social media for scores and updates throughout the season.