The #2 ranked LC Baseball team traveled to South Carolina last weekend to compete in a highly anticipated two-day series against the #19 Lancers of USC-Lancaster. The Hurricanes were victorious in the first three games, but were shut out in the final game Sunday afternoon ending the series 3-1.

Game 1
Louisburg College 7 USC-Lancaster 4

The 'Canes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning behind the 1-2 punch of leadoff hitters Steve Nyisztor and Zach Houchins. Louisburg took a 2-0 lead as Nyisztor singled, then Houchins' went the distance for his ninth homerun of the year. Tyler Long would score Chris Robinson on a double.

Lancaster wasted little time as they charged back in the home half of the first with three runs of their own off of the three early fielding errors by Louisburg. Houchins' second hit of the game would give the 'Canes a 4-3 lead in the top of the second.

Brachbuehler pitched to near perfection the next three innings holding the Lacers to just two hits and no runs while walking only two batters.

Both teams would add a run in the fifth but the Hurricanes secured the win in the top of the 7th scoring two runs. Chris Robinson's third homerun on the year gave the 'Canes a 6-4 lead. Coward doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a throwing error by Lancaster.

Brechbuehler started for the Hurricanes allowing six hits, four runs while punching out four. Josh Roeder would come in relief in the bottom of the seventh giving up just one hit, one run in 1.0 innings of work.

Zach Houchins went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a homerun. Nyisztor, Long, and Coward had two hits each.

Game 2
Louisburg College 7 USC-Lancaster 3

Three 'Canes went deep and Daniel Hyatt picked up his second save to give Louisburg their 35th win.

Tony Urban (6-0) secured the win pitching 4.1 innings. He struck out four and gave up three runs on five hits before being relieved by Hyatt in the bottom of the fifth. Hyatt would work 2.2 innings allowing three hits, no runs, one walk while striking out three. The 'Canes took advantage of its scoring opportunities in the third, fifth and six innings as it plated one run in the third and three each in the fifth and sixth to take a 7-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.

Houchins homered in the top of the third to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. Steve Nyisztor started the rally in the fifth with a single then stole second. Houchins' intentional walk was followed by a three run RBI homer by Chris Robinson to deep center.

The Lacers threatened with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth but were unable to manufacture any more in the next two innings leaving five runners on base. Hyatt was able to get himself out of a bases loaded, two-out jam in the bottom of the fifth to keep Lancaster from tying the game.

Nyisztor led the 'Canes offensively with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, while Robinson drove in a team-leading three RBI. Brandon Rawe went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a homerun. 

Game 3
Louisburg College 17 USC-Lancaster 3

Brandon Rawe went 4-for-4 with five RBI and three home runs in Game 1 as the Louisburg Hurricanes extended their winning streak to 10 Sunday afternoon against #18 USC-Lancaster at Doomesday Field in Region X action.

In the opening contest, Cody Cox (8-0) was the winning pitcher for Louisburg, tossing 6.0 innings with eight strikeouts, four hits and only two runs.

Tucker Coward went 4-for-5 with one RBI for Louisburg as Zach Houchins had his 10th homerun of the year going 2-for-3 with one RBI. Tyler Long's 2-for-4 output brought in four RBI of a double and a homerun in the seventh.

Louisburg took a 3-0 lead after two innings behind a homerun by Rawe before USC-L put up two runs in the third. The Hurricanes would fire back in the fourth as Rawe hit his second homerun (2 RBI) bringing the score to 5-2.

Cox held the Lacers to just one hit in the next three innings.

The 'Canes exploded with an eleven run, seventh inning as Houchins lead off hit by pitch would start the rally. Behind homer from Long and Rawe, Louisburg would have nine players combine for 12 hits.

Mike Daley relieved Cox in the bottom of the seventh retiring two batters and allowing one run of two hits. 

Game 4
Louisburg College 0 USC-Lancaster 3

The Hurricanes struggled offensively only managing two hits as USC-L kept Louisburg from getting the Sunday afternoon sweep.

Cody Johnson (7-1) would record his first loss of the season tossing 1.2 innings before Willie Sligh replaced him in bottom of the second.

The Lacers scored in the bottom of the first to take the lead 2-0. They would add one more in the bottom of the fourth extending their lead, 3-0.

The 'Canes would threaten in both the sixth and seventh innings but were unable to manufacture any runs leaving three runners on base.

Marcus Wojtkowicz and Brandon Rawe produced the only two hits for Louisburg. Willie Sligh pitched 4.1 innings in relief fanning five and giving up two hits.


The Hurricanes will spring back into action Wednesday, when they head East to play Brunswick Community College at 4:00 p.m. This weekend, the Hurricanes will host a series with Region X foe, Spartanburg Methodist College. The first game will begin Friday at
3:00 p.m. Saturday's double-header is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start.