After a slow start through three innings, Louisiana piled up eight runs over the middle frames to take control and pull away for a 16-7 win over New Orleans Friday evening in the opener of a three-game Sun Belt series at Maestri Field.
The Ragin' Cajuns (29-16, 14-8 Sun Belt) picked up their 10th consecutive Sun Belt victory and won for the 14th time in the past 16 meetings at Maestri Field against the Privateers (11-32, 2-21 Sun Belt).
Alex Fuselier went 4-for-4 and posted five RBI to lead the offensive charge for Louisiana - his third game this season with five RBI. Jordan Poirrier went 3-for-5 - all three hits for extra bases - and tacked on three RBI.
The two teams continue the series on Saturday at 4 p.m. T.J. Geith will get the start for the Cajuns and the Privateers will counter with Joe Zimmerman.
The Privateers scored first, getting a run on a Rodarrick Jones sacrifice fly in the second inning. A Mike Petello solo home run in the third increased the UNO lead to 2-0.
The first five Cajuns to pick up a bat in the fourth inning reached base and the result was three runs before an out was recorded.
Poirrier led off with a double to right center, Chad Keefer walked and Tyler Frederick was hit by a pitch. Lance Marvel singled into left field to score Poirrier with the Cajuns' first run. Fuselier followed with a double down the right field line to score Frederick and Keefer and give UL the lead for good, 3-2.
Louisiana added a Greg Fontenot sacrifice fly to push across another run before the frame expired to make it 4-2.
UNO got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fourth when Morris posted a solo home run down the left field line.
The Ragin' Cajuns created breathing room in the fifth inning when back-to-back home runs - a two-run job by Poirrier and solo shot by Keefer - produced three quick runs for a 7-3 edge.
Marvel would later score on a throwing error by Nick Schwaner and the Cajuns lead grew to 8-3.
Zach Osborne began to throw scoreless frames and Louisiana added eight runs over the final three frames.
Osborne posted the victory, his eighth of the season. It wasn't a typical Osborne start, though, as the Privateers got three home runs off of him and five earned runs were charged to the righty.
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