FORT WORTH, Texas - Playing at home for just the second time this season, the Rams met Gulf Coast Athletic Conference power Louisiana State University-Shreveport for a doubleheader at LaGrave Field on Tuesday. Unfortunately, this day proved more difficult than last week’s home opener. The Rams couldn’t recover after surrendering big leads early in each game, losing 7-4 in the first contest and 11-1 in the nightcap.

In game one, the Pilots slugged their way to three runs in the top of the first off of Ram starter Carlos Medina. Wesley Gray and Aaron McRae hit back-to-back doubles with one out to score the game’s first run. After a fielder’s choice for the second out, Todd Morben singled home a run, which was followed by Ben Wingerter RBI double.

The Rams got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Right fielder Nathan Murrell lined a leadoff double to right, and moved to third on Cole Henry’s single. He scored one out later on a sacrifice fly by Matt Putman.

The Pilots manufactured a run in the second when, after a leadoff single, Tyson Arishenkoff moved to second on a sacrifice, then to third on a ground out. He scored on a two-out wild pitch to extend LSU-Shreveport‘s lead back to three runs.

The Rams scored again in the third. Aaron Ellis reached on an infield single and moved to third on Putman’s smash up the middle. He scored on a passed ball to cut the lead to two. The Pilot’s came back in the top of the fourth, though, scoring twice on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by McRae and a tough-luck error by Putman. As the throw from McRae’s sacrifice went through to the plate, Cole Reynolds, the LSU-Shreveport runner at second, took off for third. Putman, the catcher, threw to the bag in time, but the ball glanced off of Reynolds’ shoe and went into left field, allowing him to score easily.

A half-inning later, Billy Eaton led off with a double and scored on Travis Clifford’s two-bagger. Clifford then scored on Murrell’s single to right to cut the lead to two at 6-4. The Pilot’s extended the lead in the sixth on Arishenkoff’s double and a pair of sacrifices. The Rams capped the scoring in the seventh on Eric Casias’ leadoff homerun.

In game two, the Pilots again jumped out to a quick lead, posting four runs off of Wesleyan starter David Hinson in the first inning. Morben smacked a two-run triple to center, and scored one batter later on Wingerter’s single. Austin Davis plated him with a double before the side was retired. After a 1-2-3 bottom of the first, the Pilots continued the offensive display, extending the lead to 7-0 on a three-run homer to right by first baseman Thomas McManis.

The Rams scored their only run of the game in the bottom of the second when Trey Combs and Eric Vaughn hit back-to-back one-out doubles. The Pilots scored again in the third on a two-out fly ball dropped in center. They closed out the scoring in the fifth on an RBI single by Arishenkoff and RBI doubles by Gray and pinch-hitter Tyler Lewis.

The Rams fall to 2-6-1 on the year, and remain 1-2 in Red River Conference play. They travel to Hawkins, Texas this Thursday and Friday to face Jarvis Christian College, then return to LaGrave Field on Sunday against Austin College. Sunday’s game begins at 1:30 PM.