Published: August 12, 2009 11:36 pm      

New Orleans rallies for win

Nate Fury is a competitor.

The New Orleans pitcher led his team to a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Livonia Wednesday in AAABA action at Roxbury.

Fury earned the win, pitching seven impressive innings, allowing two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out four.

New Orleans advances to the next round in the tournament to play Youngstown or Lansing.

“We had a good, hard-fought win today against a very good Livonia team,” New Orleans manager Bill Babin said. “Our kids really pulled together for an exciting one- run victory.”

New Orleans scored its first run in the fourth inning off starting pitcher Matt Broder when Dustin Wambsgans hit a sacrifice fly that scored Max Ledet.

Livonia roared back, taking the lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning.

Stephen Anderson led off with a home run to left field off Fury.

The next batter, Jacob Rhodes, singled on a ball hit sharply off the pitcher’s leg and then stole second. He scored on a double by Kyle Vesey.

New Orleans took the lead for good, scoring two in the seventh inning off relief pitcher Thomas Whiting.

Beau Boudreaux’s sacrifice fly scored Wambsgans and Scott Fabre doubled home Lucas LeBlanc, who had singled and stole second.

Babin said he thought of pulling Fury after six innings but kept him in for one more. He’s glad he did.

“I kept him in just because I know how much of a competitor he is,” Babin said. “I let him go out and he had a great seventh inning.”

Stephen Lukinovich pitched two scoreless innings to earn a save.

New Orleans scored three runs on eight hits and committed two errors. Livonia scored two runs on three hits, committing one error.

Whiting took the loss, pitching five innings in relief, giving up two runs on three hits, striking out two and walking one batter.

Broder pitched 32/3 innings, giving up one run on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks before yielding to Whiting. Ryan Abraham pitched the ninth inning.

Livonia manager Rick Berryman said after his team scored two runs in the fourth inning the bats went silent.

“We didn’t hit,” he said. “It was a well- played game by both teams. We couldn’t get timely hits.”

Berryman said the last two games his team could muster a total of just seven hits.

“It’s a tough way to go out,” he said. “Now we’re getting ready to go home.”