Shreveport, LA– The first place LSUS Pilots came one step closer Friday night to clinching the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC) title as they beat the University of Mobile Rams, 8-6.

The Pilots (33-10, 18-4) need to sweep the series against the Rams (30-16, 14-8) to secure the outright title. Frank Kowatz (6-1) picked up his sixth win of the season after pitching seven innings, allowing three runs off eight hits and striking out five leading the Pilots to victory in game one of the series.

Mark Bignell (1-0) landed his second save of the season by going one and two-thirds inning to finalize the win. Bignell struck out three while scattering two hits and one run.

The Pilots were trailing 1-0 in the third inning until Dustin Bissonnette picked up his first of three RBIs that night by knocking in Dusty Maddox with a single to center field. Bissonnette collected two more RBI in the fourth inning with a single to center after the Rams intentionally walked Maddox with two outs to load the bases. Bissonnette finished 2-4 on the evening with two singles and a walk.

Maddox’s hot bat landed him on base four times, including one hit-by-pitch. He had three singles and one RBI. The center fielder also made a major-league-like catch to end the second inning when he dove in the air to snatch a potential two-RBI double hit from Ram batter Daniel Harper.

Colin Moro rounded out the Pilots offense by going 2-4 with an RBI double and single and scoring twice. 

The Pilots will face the Mobile squad on Saturday with the first game beginning at 1 p.m.

By Chrissy Chiri

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