The LeTourneau University baseball team closed out its first American Southwest Conference series with a 7-1 win over Louisiana College on Saturday afternoon in Pineville.

The YellowJackets (4-3, 2-1 ASC) were supported by a strong outing on the mound from junior Jordan Carns and an offense at the plate, who broke free for a season-high 14 hits in the win to secure the series. Carns faced 27 batters in seven innings of work for the win, allowing just five hits and striking out four for his first win at LETU. The Sierra Vista, Arizona native got offensive support from the entire LETU lineup with eight-different players providing contributions with a hit. Junior Sean Sellers and sophomore Kyle Jacobs each had three hits to lead LeTourneau; plus senior David Perkins and junior Taylor Empkey each scored twice.
 
The Wildcats (3-4, 1-2 ASC) were held to eight hits by three LeTourneau pitchers. Starting pitcher Brand Bignar went three innings, allowing two hits – three runs – all earned in the loss to fall to 0-1. Jermaine Liggins had three of the eight hits for Louisiana College in the loss.
 LeTourneau junior Jordan Carns faced 27 batters in seven innings of work for the win, allowing just five hits and striking out four for his first win at LETU.LeTourneau ended a scoreless tie in the fourth, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four runs on four hits. Two of the four runs came on a bases loaded, two-RBI single by Jacobs. LeTourneau also plated a run on a RBI single by Sellers and a bases loaded walk to Empkey. In the fourth, Louisiana College attempted to cut into the LETU lead. For the second-straight day, it was a relay from Caleb Pritchett in right field to Jacobs at second to Dillon Yatesbehind the plate that kept the host Wildcats off the scoreboard.
 
The YellowJackets added to their lead with an insurance run each of the final three innings. In the seventh, LeTourneau scored with two out on a RBI single by Pritchett for a 5-0. A RBI single by Perkins in the eighth scored Jacobs, who led off the inning with a single, put LETU ahead 6-0. Liggins picked up his third hit of the afternoon on a RBI single off LETU reliever Boone Privette to cut into the lead in the eighth to spoil the shutout. The YellowJackets came right back and added its final run when Empkey scored for the second time in the game in the ninth.  LETU sophomore Canaan Klaassen pitched the ninth for the YellowJackets. The sophomore closed the door with three strikeouts to secure the LeTourneau win.
 
Next, LeTourneau will return home to host the University of Dallas on Wednesday, Feb. 25 in a mid-week, non-conference contest at Conrad-Vernon Field at 6 p.m. Then, LeTourneau will host the University of Texas at Dallas for a three-game series. The series between the Comets and Patriots begins on Friday, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 28 at noon.