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HAMMOND, La. – Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns dropped a 9-2 decision to Southeastern Louisiana Wednesday night at Alumni Field, as the Lions took the season series 2-0 from UL and dropped the Cajuns to 18-16-1 overall on the season.
The Cajuns opted to give playing opportunities to a number of reserves, in all using 22 players including seven pitchers in the game. By the eighth inning, only three starters remained, including Les Smith in the designated hitter role and Matt Goulas and Alex Fuselier in the outfield.
Kyle Olasin, Greg Fontenot, Scott Hawkins, Chad Keefer, Matt Goulas, Alex Fuselier, Thad Griffen and Kyle Bostick started the game in defensive positions. Players to enter in substitution, either in pinch hit, pinch run, or defensive substitutions included Travis Whipple, Will Long, Jon Masch, Tyler Benzel, Dillon Guillory and Matt Hicks.
Greg Wilborn started the game on the bump for the Cajuns, but registered only one inning, facing three batters in the second before leaving with the bases loaded. His line finished at one inning pitched, five hits, five runs, all earned, on two walks and no strikeouts. His record fell to 3-2 on the season.
Luke Wagley threw two hitless innings as the first reliever, striking out three of the six batters he faced. Greg Harmon pitched one inning, allowing one run, unearned, on two hits, one walk and one strikeout. Matt Broussard was also effective, allowing just one hit and one walk in two innings on the mound.
Randall Bulliard threw one hitless inning, striking out one and walking one. Patrick Holloway recorded 1/3 of an inning and allowed three runs, all earned, on two hits and one walk. Corey Chapman finished the game with 2/3 of an inning, giving up just one hit and striking out one.
Only Les Smith registered multiple hits for Louisiana, making it a 2-for-4 night on two doubles. Matt Goulas and Alex Fuselier earned runs batted in, at one each, both on 1-for-4 outings.
Jon Masch (1-for-1), Tyler Benzel (1-for-2) and Thad Griffen (1-for-3) were the only other Cajuns to register hits.
Southeastern Louisiana jumped out to an early lead with four runs, three earned, on four hits and one error to open the game, as Wilborn got off to another rough start.
The trouble continued for Wilborn in the second inning, as the Lions loaded the bases on a leadoff double, hit batsman, and a walk, prompting the entrance of Luke Wagley in relief. He struck out the first batter he faced, then allowed an RBI fielder’s choice to score one before retiring the last batter on a strikeout. The second inning ended with the Lions ahead 5-0.
Southeastern registered one more run in the fourth before the Cajuns managed a base hit. Louisiana finally made it aboard with a Les Smith double in the top of the fifth.
The Cajuns’ lineup brought two runs across in the seventh to avoid the shutout, beginning with a Matt Goulas solo home run to left field. Les Smith doubled in the next at bat, advanced to third on a passed ball and came in on an Alex Fuselier groundout, leaving the Cajuns down 6-2.
The pitching staff took control in the bottom of the fifth and held Southeastern scoreless until the eighth. Matt Broussard pitched two of those scoreless innings and Randall Bulliard contributed the third.
Patrick Holloway entered to pitch the eighth, and allowed a walk, a single, a sacrifice bunt, a single, a wild pitch and a hit-by-pitch to score two and leave two on for Corey Chapman. He allowed a fielder’s choice to score one of Holloway’s runners, the third of the inning, before recording the final out to end the Lions’ last turn.
The Ragin’ Cajuns host Alumni Weekend Friday through Sunday, welcoming as guests of honor the 1988 Cajuns baseball team, the first to reach an NCAA Regional, as well as the program’s first All-American Lionel Kleinpeter and UL Hall of Famer Leonard Kleinpeter.
The current Ragin’ Cajuns take on Sun Belt rival South Alabama this weekend, in a three-game series to be broadcast Friday on SportsRadio ESPN 1420 AM and on the Web at ESPN1420.com and on Saturday and Sunday on NewsRadio 105.1 KPEL FM and 1051KPEL.com. MyKLAF-TV will also broadcast the game on television, available on Cox channel 13. Live statistics and live video will be available through RaginCajuns.com.
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