John Melvin University weathered the storm of a long road trip and a 9-game losing streak to finally return home for a matchup with #16 South Arkansas. The Millers got back to their winning ways by picking up their first ranked win of the season and win the series two games to one.
Ace senior pitcher Gavin LeBlanc was the hero of game one. LeBlanc went the distance, throwing all 9 innings and throwing 130 pitches in the complete game effort. LeBlanc allowed just one run while scattering 5 hits through the 9 innings. For the second time this season, LeBlanc broke his own record for strikeouts in a single game, this time punching out 16 South Arkansas batters. LeBlanc moves to 4-1 on the season. Connor Pleasant lead the Millers offense, picking up the lone multi-hit performance of the game along with a double.
Clutch perfomances lead the way for the Millers game-two victory as JMU was down 8-2 in the 4th inning of a 7 inning game. Leading the way on the mound was junior pitcher Bryce Oquinn who entered the game in relief and got his 3rd win of the season while not giving up a run. Sophomore Caleb Ougel picked up his 2nd save of the season, throwing the final two innings and not allowing a run.
The heroics of game-two come down to the powerful JMU offense. Doubles by Andrew Ashby, Braeden Morgan, and Trevor Durr; Triples by Braeden Morgan and JT Teuton; and home-runs by JT Teuton, Sammy Maddox, and Taylor Walters powered the Millers to the incredible come from behind victory. The Millers entered the bottom of the 5th inning down 8-3 and exploded for six runs to take the lead. Andrew Ashby lead the inning off with a double, Noah Watkins walked, Braeden Morgan was hit by a pitch, Connor Pleasant was hit by a pitch scoring Ashby, Taylor Walters walked scoring Watkins, and the biggest swing of the day came from sophomore Sammy Maddox who launched a grand-slam to take the 9-8 lead. The Millers added on in the 6th inning thanks to a walk from Noah Watkins, an RBI triple from Braeden Morgan, and Taylor Walters put the game away when he launched his first home-run of the season to give the Millers a 12-8 lead and the ultimate victory.
Game three of the season did not go the Millers way, but was not without its bright spots. Sophomore Garrett Walker started the game on the mound and worked 4 strong innings, allowing zero earned runs and striking out 2 SouthArk batters. Freshman Bebe King hit his first career home-run and Freshman Connor Molaison picked up the first hit of his career.
A month into the season and there are multiple Millers leading the country in individual statistics. Sophomore closer Caleb Ougel currently leads the USCAA in saves, junior catcher Trevor Durr leads the USCAA in extra-base hits and doubles, junior pitcher Bryce Oquinn is second in the USCAA in wins, sophomore Sammy Maddox is second in the USCAA in RBI's, and sophomore Taylor Walters is second in the USCAA in triples.
Senior pitcher Gavin LeBlanc currently leads the USCAA in wins with a 4-1 record, innings with 37 on the year, and is 3rd in ERA (minimum 15 innings) with a 2.43. LeBlanc also leads the entire country, regardless of division, in strikeouts with 62. LeBlanc leads the USCAA in strikeouts by an incredible 30 strikeouts with second place having 32 punchouts.
JMU has an off week coming up before a midweek game at LSUA on 3/11, then heading to Our Lady of the Lake University next weekend.
