RAYMOND — Hinds Community College freshman Michael Porter pitched a gem on Sunday.

Unfortunately, his offense didn’t back him up.

Kishwaukee College scored a run off a costly error and starter Connor Buxton made it stick with a five-hit shutout as the Kougars clipped the Eagles 1-0 in the final game of the Wes Cliburn Classic.

Porter allowed only two hits with nine strikeouts as the tough-luck loser against Kishwaukee.

Hinds coach Sam Temple was not pleased that his offense couldn’t pick Porter up, especially after the Eagles knocked LSU-Eunice ace Mitchell Hopkins out after four innings earlier in the day.

Hinds cut an eight-run deficit to two in Sunday’s first game against LSU-Eunice, rocking Hopkins for six hits and five earned runs to get back in the game. But the Bengals hung a five-spot on the scoreboard in the sixth inning to earn the 13-6 victory. Nick Schneeberger went 3-for-3 with a triple and an RBI for Hinds. Former Porters Chapel Academy star Michael Busby drove in two runs.

“Baseball can be a cruel sport and there are some things just don’t make any sense,”  Temple said. “How is it that my offense can knock an LSU signee (Hopkins) out in the first game and struggle against with a guy I felt we should have handled? Already two times this year, our offense has let a pitcher hang out to dry.”

The offensive woes started early against Kishwaukee. Busby and Zach Warden each ripped two-out singles in the first inning, but Schneeberger lined out to second to end the threat.

In the fourth, Busby led off with a single and went to second on a passed ball before Warden retired the next three batters.

The Eagles also had a shot in the sixth. Manny Estrada ripped a single up the middle and Busby drew a rare walk from Buxton with one out. But Buxton escaped when Warden’s liner up the middle was caught and Estrada was doubled up at second.

The Kougars scratched out their only run in the fourth. Leadoff man Jose Perez poked a grounder down the first-base line and it ricocheted off the bag and out of the reach of first baseman Busby, allowing Perez to reach second. Perez then stole third and headed home on another costly error.

Busby, a UAB signee, finished the game with two hits and reached base safely in all three plate appearances. He had two hits in the tournament opener against Northeast Mississippi and hit safely in all of Hinds’ games this weekend, but he’s hoping to improve his power numbers.

“It’s coming around,” Busby said. “It’s taking longer into the season than I would have liked, but I feel I’m really starting to see the ball pretty well up there.”

Contact Steve Wilson at swilson@vicksburgpost.com