Mortensen, Pilots put clamps on TWC

Jared Mortensen came away impressed, just like everyone else who saw Tennessee Wesleyan in action. But he wasn't there to admire the Bulldogs' offensive might.

"I wanted to get a feel for what they were like and how they hit," said Mortensen, who watched with curious anticipation as TWC throttled Lee on Tuesday night, "and I figured that I'd just pitch to the opposite of what they've been seeing."

His approach, however simplistic it may sound, worked to perfection Wednesday evening at Harris Field. The senior right-hander not only stymied the Bulldogs, he compelled an NAIA World Series bracket realignment by guiding Louisiana State Shreveport to a stunning 7-3 victory.

Mortensen went the distance for the Pilots, and did so virtually unscathed until a three-run, four-hit TWC ninth. The Bulldogs, who had averaged 14 hits over their previous three Series games, mustered only half that amount in suffering their first loss of the tournament.

As a result, three teams remain - including top-ranked LSU Shreveport (54-5) and No. 4 Tennessee Wesleyan (51-12), who will square off again tonight to determine who advances to the title round. The victor will move on to meet ninth-seeded Rogers State in Friday's Series finale.

This arrangement seemed incomprehensible late Tuesday, after TWC had emerged as the tournament's last unbeaten by clobbering Lee 13-3. The Bulldogs appeared to be a tier above the remaining contenders; their fearsome batting order, in fact, made that gap look considerable.

"They can put up a crooked number faster than anyone in this tournament," LSUS coach Rocke Musgraves said of TWC, "and that's what was so impressive about Jared's performance."

Working his fastball inside on TWC hitters while interchangeably throwing a slider and cut fastball away, Mortensen struck out nine and repeatedly induced soft grounders or weak flies. The Bulldogs had more than one baserunner only once prior to the ninth inning, and advanced only two players into scoring position before their last-gasp rally.

"The way they've terrorized people here, I knew I had to keep them off-balance," said Mortensen, who moves to 11-2 on the season. "Going inside-outside, I was able to do that. I don't think they'd seen that all tournament."

The Pilots showed TWC something else it hadn't experienced - a deficit - by scoring five times in the second inning. Although this outburst featured five hits, one was particularly deflating from the Bulldogs' perspective.

With the bases loaded and one away, Brandon Cooksey lined a 2-0 pitch from TWC starter Jeremy Fitzgerald into center field. Travis Burnside couldn't handle the drive on a short hop, and it skipped past him, prompting the LSUS third base coach to wave two more runners home. After Burnside chased down the ball, his throw to the infield sailed high, glanced off the glove of shortstop Stephen Branca and slowly rolled into the third-base dugout. Cooksey, who was credited with an RBI single and was moving toward third when the ball went out of play, was awarded home.

The next batter, David Dorton, singled and stole second. Paul Gonsoulin followed with an RBI single.

The Pilots picked up runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. The latter, produced by an RBI single from Dorton, ended the day for Fitzgerald, who suffered his first loss in 12 decisions this spring.

Mortensen, meanwhile, kept churning through the Pilots lineup. Having reached the 100-pitch plateau with his second delivery of the ninth inning, he gave up a leadoff single Taylor Oldham, which Jordan Guida followed with a home run to straight-away center. After getting a strikeout, Mortensen was victimized by a lost-fly-ball double, then gave up an RBI triple to Thomas Sicking.

"They started figuring out the game plan, so we had to change it," Mortensen said. "We still could have lost that game."

Rather, he registered consecutive strikeouts to finish his seventh complete game of the season.

"This night does not define us in the Series," TWC coach Billy Berry said. "We've just got to flush it and go back and get ready for tomorrow."

Will the Pilots likewise be ready for the rematch?

"You bet we will," Mortensen said. "We're coming ready to play."

LSU Shreveport 050 110 000-7 14 0

Tenn. Wesleyan 000 000 003-3 7 2

Mortensen and Dorton. Fitzgerald, Dean (5), Crocker (7), Frey (9) and Ricketts.

W - Mortensen (11-2). L - Fitzgerald (11-1).

LSU Shreveport hits - Dorton 3 (2B), Gonsoulin 2 (2B), Pearson 2 (2B), Friesen (2B), Greco, Barthel, Billeaudeaux 2, Cooksey 2.

Tennessee Wesleyan hits - Branca, Oldham, Guida 2 (HR), Levi, Ricketts, Sicking (3B).

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Browitt may be contacted at sports@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2268.