LAKE CHARLES, La. – Sophomore Jordan Poirrier’s (Reserve, La.) pinch-hit, three-run home run commenced Louisiana’s eighth-inning scoring barrage as the Ragin’ Cajuns scored seven runs in the frame to pummel the McNeese State Cowboys 14-8 Wednesday night at Cowboy Diamond.

Louisiana (16-15) improved its winning streak to four games and has now won six of the last seven meetings with McNeese State (10-22), including the last four. The Cajuns’ season-high 14 runs are the most against the Cowboys in the series since April 27, 2004 (Louisiana won 15-6 at “The Tigue”).

Overall, the Cajuns have now won 10 of their last 13 games and are over .500 for the first time since holding a 2-1 record in February.

Chance Harst (Lafayette, La.), who has been a solid defensive replacement for the injured Justin Robichaux (Crowley, La.), tied a career high with three hits, falling a triple short of the cycle. Harst went 3-for-4 with a solo home run. Matt Goulas (New Iberia, La.) and Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) each went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBI.

Gregory Harmon (Crowley, La.), the beneficiary of the Cajuns’ seven-run eighth inning, earned his first victory of the season. Harmon (1-0) was touched for one unearned run on four hits with four strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings.

McNeese State pitchers walked 10 batters on the night. Todd Fontenot (1-1) was dealt the loss, allowing four runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Facing McNeese State for the second time as a starter, senior John Zorich (Stafford, Va.) was able to get out of a self-induced jam in the second inning. However, Zorich wouldn’t exit the third safely as the senior was touched for three runs on five hits in two innings of work. Zorich tossed 40 pitches in the no-decision.

After two singles and heady baserunning in the second inning, the Cowboys held onto a 1-0 lead when Mace Hebert beat out a potential double play ball at first. Hebert’s RBI groundout plated Ryan Brauninger for the one-run cushion.

The Cajuns took their first lead, 2-1, in the top of the third inning. With one out, Greg Fontenot (Lafayette, La.) drove a single through the middle of the McNeese infield. Then, with the wind blowing from right to left, Josh Logan (Magee, Miss.) launched a high ball into deep left-center field which carried over the fence for a 2-1 Cajuns lead.

That one-run lead didn’t last long for the Cajuns as McNeese State used the long ball to regain a one-run edge, 3-2, in the home half of the third. With Shon Landry at first after drawing a lead-off walk, Freeman blasted a two-run homer to left-center – similar to the location of Logan’s – to put the Cowboys back on top. Freeman’s homer would be the last batter faced for Zorich who was lifted in favor of Luke Wagley (Greenwell Springs, La.).

Later in the inning, McNeese added an insurance run on Kanon Broussard’s RBI single that fell into the gap in the right-center.

Trailing 4-2 in the fourth, the Cajuns inched their way back to within one when Harst drilled a solo dinger over the fence in left-center.

McNeese had a chance to extend its lead in the bottom of the fourth but two outstanding catches by Logan and Goulas kept the Cajuns within one run, 4-3.

Louisiana’s stellar defensive play in the previous half inning proved to be beneficial for the Cajuns in the fifth. The Cajuns took their second lead of the night without the aid of a hit as UL used four walks and a costly fielding error to parlay that into a 6-4 lead.

The Cowboys matched the Cajuns’ offensive efforts with a three-spot in the bottom of the fifth to regain a 7-6 lead.

A costly error by Tyler Benzel (Groveland, Fla.) that would have ended the sixth inning allowed the Cowboys to drive home another run on the next batter. Keith Patnode’s RBI single through the right side of the Cajuns infield gave McNeese an 8-6 lead.

Then, in the eighth, the Cajuns showcased an aerial assault pounding three home runs culminating in a seven-run frame to take a 13-8 lead. With two on, Poirrier smoked a pinch-hit, three-run home run to left-center field for a 9-8 Cajuns lead. The Cajuns later added solo home runs from Goulas and Hawkins to extend their commanding lead to five, 13-8.

Louisiana returns to Sun Belt Conference action this weekend when the Ragin’ Cajuns host the ULM Warhawks for Alumni Weekend at “The Tigue.” First pitch Friday is slated for 6:30 p.m.

RaginCajuns.com

Chris Yandle