NATCHITOCHES, La. – Tyler Benzel’s (Groveland, Fla.) RBI single in the top of the 11th inning scored the game-winning run, while Justin Robichaux (Crowley, La.) made it stand as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns posted a 7-6 road victory over the Northwestern State Demons at Brown-Stroud Field.

Senior Buddy Glass (Clermont, Fla.) earned his first win of the season on the mound, scattering two hits in two innings of relief. Robichaux retired the side in the 11th inning for his sixth save of the season. In all the Cajuns used six pitchers.

Benzel finished the night with a career-high-tying three hits, going 3-for-5 with two RBI.

Senior Josh Logan (Magee, Miss.) didn’t fare well in his first game out as the reigning LSWA Hitter of the Week, going 0-for-6. Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the first inning. Chance Harst (Lafayette, La.) hit his second home run in two games – a two-run effort in the fifth.

Louisiana, which had just three home runs in the first 13 games of the season, has now homered in nine straight contests.

Northwestern State’s first eight hits Wednesday came with two outs and finished the night with 14 base knocks. Kyle Broughton (2-2) suffered the loss, allowing one run on two hits in one inning of relief.

Demons starter Tommy Rozell retired the first two Cajuns he faced in the first inning before Hawkins gave Louisiana an early lead. Hawkins unloaded on Rozell’s 2-1 offering, sending his fifth home run of the season over the left field fence for the 1-0 edge.

In the bottom of the first, Randall Bulliard (Lafayette, La.) allowed back-to-back two-out singles, but able to escape the inning unscathed to preserve his 1-0 lead.

After the Cajuns went down in order in the second, Northwestern State tagged Bulliard for three runs on four hits to take a 3-1 lead. The Demons plated all three of their runs with two outs on the board as NSU registered four straight hits. Roberto Gallegos roped a two-out double in front of a diving right fielder Matt Goulas (New Iberia, La.). Gallegos then scored on Brent Johnson’s game-tying RBI single down the left field line.

Nipp followed with a RBI triple to right field to score the go-ahead run in Johnson for a 2-1 Demons lead. Chase Lyles added an infield RBI single for the two-run lead.

Bulliard lasted just two innings in his first career start as the freshman was touched for three run on six hits with three strikeouts.

Louisiana matched the Demons’ three-run frame, hanging a three-spot of its own in the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Hawkins tallied just the Cajuns’ second hit tapping a single down the left field line. Three batters later, Benzel dropped a RBI single in center to score Hawkins. Sunday’s hero Harst also scored the game-tying run on the play after Dylan Libadisos misplayed the ball.

Jordan Poirrier (Reserve, La.) later drove in the go-ahead run, 4-3, with a RBI single to right field that scored Benzel from second.

The Cajuns tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning via the long ball once again. With one on and one out, Harst delivered his second two-run home run in as many games to give the visiting Cajuns a 6-3 cushion.

Northwestern State took a run back in the fifth as Justin O’Neill scored on a wild pitch, cutting the Cajuns lead to 6-4.

After relievers Luke Wagley (Greenwell Springs, La.) and Gregory Harmon (Crowley, La.) were able to keep the Demons at bay for four innings, Matt Broussard (Breaux Bridge, La.) ran into some trouble in the eighth.

Broussard, with one out, put the tying- and go-ahead runs on to load the bases. Jordan Nipp grounded into a would-be double play, but the Cajuns were unable to get both outs as Matt Hicks’ (Houston, Texas) throw wasn’t in time to Robichaux. Nipp’s RBI fielder’s choice allowed Libadisos to score. However, Hicks’ throw sailed past Robichaux at first, which permitted Denney Choate to score the tying run, 6-6.

In the 11th inning, the Cajuns finally broke the 6-6 deadlock. Hicks led off with a double that fell into shallow right field. Benzel then scored Hicks with a RBI single that skirted through the right side of the infield for a 7-6 Cajuns lead.

With the conclusion of their nine-game road trip, the Ragin’ Cajuns will return to “The Tigue” for a brief four-game homestand, beginning with a Sun Belt Conference series with FIU this weekend. Friday’s series opener is slated to begin at 6:30 p.m.

RaginCajuns.com

Chris Yandle