By Jason Pugh, Northwestern State Associate Director of External Relations; featured photo by Chris Reich, NSU Photographic Services
NEW ORLEANS – A throwback Friday night ended in what has become familiar fashion for the Northwestern State baseball team.
Sophomore right-hander Dylan Marionneaux tossed the Demons’ second straight complete-game shutout in Southland Conference play, and Rocco Gump’s solo home run produced the only run in the Demons’ 1-0 victory at Maestri Field.
“What you saw was two really good baseball teams with two extremely gifted and competitive on the mound as starting pitchers just slugging it out on a Friday night,” second-year head coach Chris Bertrand said. “What an incredible ball game. I know I’m the head coach and we’re trying to win, but I found myself in the course of the game being such a fan and enjoying watching that. It really needs to be said the rhythm that Slim (Marionneaux), (pitching coach) Dan (Hlad) and (catcher) Mason (Wray) had was incredible to watch.”
Marionneaux (2-2) fashioned the first complete-game, two-hit shutout by a Demon pitcher since Ridge Heisler did so in game one of an April 14, 2018.
In the process, he fanned a career-high nine, throwing 68 of his 102 pitches for strikes, carrying over what he felt from the bullpen.
“That was probably the most locked-in bullpen I’ve had,” Marionneaux said. “That was the main reason I was feeling it.”
Marionneaux needed to be at his sharpest to match New Orleans right-hander Grant Edwards (0-2), who took a tough-luck loss despite striking out 11 across eight four-hit innings.
Rocco Gump gave Marionneaux and Northwestern (13-8, 6-4) all the offense he needed, delivering a solo home run in the fourth inning, jumping the first pitch he saw from Edwards and driving it out to right-center field.
It was Gump’s fourth home run of the year and marked the second straight game he homered. Gump’s 10th career home run was his third on the first-pitch of an at-bat.
“He was doing a great job and got the best of me in the first at-bat,” Gump said. “I knew I had to get in there ready to hit in my second at-bat, and it worked out.”
An inning after Gump’s blast, the Demons threatened to extend the lead against Edwards, loading the bases on a pair of two-out walks and a single. Edwards wiggled out of trouble and then struck out six of the next nine Demons he faced.
While Northwestern could not convert that opportunity, Marionneaux did not allow the Privateers (11-9, 5-5) to build any momentum.
Marionneaux had allowed a two-out, second-inning single through four innings before Tristan Moore led off the fifth with a single off the right-field wall.
Two batters later, Karson Evans drew a two-out walk – the lone free pass Marionneaux issued – to put the only Privateer in scoring position all night.
Marionneaux quickly extinguished the threat with a strikeout of Collin Loupe, starting a run of 13 straight retired to end the game. His gem followed Trent Hillen’s four-hit shutout Sunday at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and was the Demons’ third shutout in the past four league games.
Marionneaux worked 6 1-3 shutout innings to start a 5-0 win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi a week ago.
“Trent is actually my roommate on road trips,” Marionneaux said. “There’s a little friendly talk this morning. There is definitely a friendly competition there.”
The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m. Right-hander Tyler Bryan (1-2, 8.22) takes the mound for Northwestern against Privateer right-hander Skylar Jones (3-0, 5.65).
Northwestern State 1, New Orleans 0
NSU 000 100 000 – 1 5 0
UNO 000 000 000 – 0 2 0
W – Dylan Marionneaux (2-2). L – Grant Edwards (0-2). HR – NSU, Rocco Gump (4). Highlights: NSU, Clay Jung 3-4.
Records: Northwestern State 13-8, 6-4; New Orleans 11-9, 5-5.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
