Danny Farquhar struck out nine batters to earn his first win of the season.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Preseason Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year Danny Farquhar (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) struck out a game-high nine batters, while sophomore Justin Robichaux (Crowley, La.) struck out three batters in the ninth inning to lead the 19th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns to a 2-1 victory over Army Friday at Wolff Stadium.

Friday’s win marked Farquhar’s (1-0) first win as a starter since May 17 at New Orleans. Farquhar scattered two hits, while walking four batters in six innings of work.

Junior college transfer Luke Wagley (Greenwell Springs, La.) allowed one unearned run on two hits in two innings of middle relief, striking out three batters. Robichaux then allowed one base runner in the final inning, nailing down his first save of the season.

Josh Logan (Magee, Miss.) had the game’s only multi-hit performance, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, while also swiping two bases. Matt Hicks (Houston, Texas) went 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Louisiana’s bats rattled Joey Henshaw early as Logan and Jordan Poirrier (Reserve, La.) each reached base safely with back-to-back singles to lead off the first inning.

Two batters later, Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) drew a one-out walk, loading the bases. After a Nolan Gisclair (Marrero, La.) infield fly, Logan scored on a Chance Harst (Lafayette, La.) bases-loaded walk for a 1-0 lead.

Farquhar worked his way out a self-induced jam in the bottom half of the third inning as the Black Knights threatened Louisiana’s slim one-run lead. After striking out the lead-off batter, Tony Capozzi sent a shot to shallow centerfield. Andy Ernesto followed with a hard hit ball back to Farquhar, who adjusted to make a clean throw to second base, but Greg Fontenot (Lafayette, La.) was unable to locate the bag in time to get the lead runner.

Farquhar then plunked left fielder Kyle Fleming, loading the bases for Army. However, Chris Simmons grounded out to Poirrier to end the Army threat.

Louisiana doubled its lead to 2-0 thanks to a Matt Hicks’ (Houston, Texas) one-out RBI double to left-center field in the fifth.

Army threatened to eat away at the Cajuns’ lead in the bottom portion of the fifth. Sean Rainbird reached base safely on a Fontenot throwing error. Two batters later, Ernesto drew a one-out walk, putting two runners aboard. But, Farquhar struck out the next two batters he faced to exit the inning unscathed.

In the visiting half of the seventh, the Cajuns tried to extend their lead to three runs when Logan attempted to steal home but was tagged out before he could slid in under the tag.

Wagley lifted Farquhar after the sixth inning, striking out the first two batters he faced. The LSU-Eunice transfer later forced Fleming to ground out to end the seventh.

Army pushed across its first run of the afternoon in the eighth inning when Simmons scored on a Fontenot throwing error. That would be Army’s only run of the game as Robichaux came on in relief in the ninth to shut the door on Army.

Louisiana returns to the diamond Saturday in day two of the UTSA Baseball Classic when the Ragin’ Cajuns face the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 10 a.m. and the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at 2 p.m. Live stats via GameWatcher will be available at RaginCajuns.com.

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