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UL - Arkansas State scored the game's first six runs, while Louisiana committed six errors as the Ragin' Cajuns suffered their first Sun Belt series sweep in five seasons with a 9-2 loss Sunday at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
Louisiana (4-9, 0-3 Sun Belt) suffered its first Sun Belt Conference series sweep since April 23-25, 2004, when Florida International swept the Cajuns in Miami. It was also the first time Louisiana was swept in a SBC series at home since May 12-14, 2000, against the New Orleans Privateers.
Senior Brent Solich (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) lost his second start of the season, allowing five runs � four earned � on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Solich (0-2) struck out five batters on 113 pitches.
Arkansas State's Jacob Maggard (2-0) earned the victory for the Indians, going 6 2/3 innings. Maggard allowed two runs on five hits, while striking out four.
Five different Cajuns recorded a hit � three of them coming from freshmen. Todd Baumgartner went 3-for-6 with a RBI, while Drew Benes drove in three runs on two hits.
Arkansas State rattled Solich early as the Indians touched the senior for three runs in the top of the first inning for a 3-0 lead. Derrick Coleman and Baumgartner led off with back-to-back singles to open the first inning. After Solich retired the next two batters, he loaded bases when he hit Guy Brown with a pitch.
Solich then walked in the game's first run after Joey Hoffman drew a bases-loaded full-count walk for a 1-0 A-State lead. Benes followed with a two-RBI double down the left field line, plating Brown and Baumgartner for a 3-0 lead.
Three innings later, Arkansas State added an insurance run in the fourth. Baumgartner's fielder's choice RBI scored Aaron Ferguson gave the visitors a 4-0 lead. In the fifth, Hoffman plated Arkansas State's fifth run with a sacrifice fly, giving the Indians a 5-0 cushion.
In the seventh, Benes put the Indians up six runs, 6-0, with a two-out solo home run to left field.
Louisiana broke up Maggard's shutout attempt in the seventh with a two-run inning, cutting the deficit to 6-2. Fontenot delivered a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to score Tyler Benzel (Groveland, Fla.) and Blaine LaFleur (Opelousas, La.).
Arkansas State scored three more runs in the eighth on two Ragin' Cajuns errors to take a commanding 9-2 lead.
Nine of Louisiana's next 10 games are on the road, beginning Tuesday with a 6 p.m. contest at Louisiana Tech. The Ragin' Cajuns then travel to Boca Raton, Fla., to face the Florida Atlantic Owls next weekend.
<center>UL Asst SID
Chris Yandle
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