UL - Round two in the Battle of Louisiana saw another slugfest; however, the Ragin’ Cajuns were unable to overcome ULM’s early offensive assault falling 15-6 to the first-place Warhawks Saturday afternoon at “The Tigue”.

ULM (21-12, 13-4 Sun Belt) snapped Louisiana’s (17-16, 8-9 Sun Belt) five-game winning streak, pushing the Cajuns back below the .500 mark in the Sun Belt rankings.

For the second straight game, Louisiana’s starting pitcher endured a rough outing in the early going. Junior Danny Farquhar (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) was roughed up for eight runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. Farquhar (3-5), who has now lost in consecutive starts, walked two and struck out four batters. Gregory Harmon (Crowley, La.) struggled as well, allowing five runs on four hits in one inning of middle relief.

Four Cajuns extended their hit streak to six games Saturday. Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) went 1-for-4 with two runs scored, while Matt Goulas (New Iberia, La.) was 2-for-3. Chance Harst (Lafayette, La.) drove in a run, going 2-for-3 at the plate and Nolan Gisclair (Marrero, La.) went 1-for-4 with two RBI.

ULM reliever Derek Ward (4-1) bounced back from Friday night’s loss to earn the win. Ward went five innings, scattering two hits with six strikeouts.

Dexter Fontenot went 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven RBI. Ryan McMillan drove in three runs on 3-for-5 hitting, while A.J. Siggers and Matt Laird each had two hits.

Louisiana fell behind 4-1 after ULM posted back-to-back two-run innings. McMillan plated the game’s first run with a RBI double down the left field line in the second inning. McMillan later scored on a throwing error by Tyler Benzel (Groveland, Fla.) to give the Warhawks an early 2-0 lead.

The Cajuns cut the deficit in half, 2-1, on Matt Hicks’ (Houston, Texas) RBI sacrifice fly to right field in the bottom of the second.

ULM scored two more runs in the third thanks to a solo home run from Fontenot and a Matt Collins RBI sacrifice fly, 4-1.

Louisiana responded with a three-run third inning, tying the contest at 4-4. Harst doubled in Goulas with a RBI double to right field. Gisclair followed with an infield RBI single which allowed Hawkins to score from second. Harst scored the tying run on a fielding error by ULM shortstop Ben Soignier.

The Warhawks broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning to take a commanding 9-4 lead. ULM used a pair of two-RBI doubles and a costly fielding error by Goulas to take the five-run edge. ULM added a four-spot in the fifth for a 13-4 advantage. Soignier drove in the first run on a RBI fielder’s choice before Fontenot cleared the bases with a three-run home run to left field.

The Cajuns earned two of those runs back in the bottom of fifth. Ward replaced ULM starter Drew Graham after he walked the first two Cajuns in the inning. Harst then single to McMillan at third who threw it past the first baseman Collins. McMillan’s miscue enabled Goulas to score the Cajuns’ first run since the third inning. Gisclair later plated Hawkins to the deficit to 13-6.

ULM added two insurance runs in the ninth inning for the final 15-6 tally.

Sunday’s series rubber match between Louisiana and ULM will begin at 1:05 p.m. The game will also be televised on my KLAF-TV (Cox Channel 13).

RaginCajuns.com

Chris Yandle