NATCHITOCHES, La. – Justin O'Neal's two-RBI single through the right side gave the Northwestern State Demons a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Tuesday night at Brown-Stroud Field.
Louisiana (17-18) has now lost its last three contests, while Northwestern State (18-16) snapped a five-game losing streak.
Buddy Glass (Clermont, Fla.) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. In his first career start on the bump, junior Luke Wagley (Greenwell Springs, La.) allowed one run on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Wagley struck out four batters in the no-decision.
Northwestern State starter Heath Hennigan pitched four no-hit innings, striking out five while walking one batter. J.C. Bredengerd (1-0) earned his first win of the season, pitching the ninth inning.
Brian Bowman (Lafayette, La.) accumulated two of the Cajuns three total hits, going 2-for-2 with a run scored.
O'Neal finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Anthony Jones and Jordan Nipp each added two hits.
Following a three-up-three-down first inning for the Cajuns, Wagley removed himself from a serious bases-loaded jam. After the Demons lead-off hitter lined out to left, Micah Tipton downed down the left field line. Then, Wagley plunked Mike Jaworski before walking O'Neal to load the bases.
However, Wagley struck out Jones and forced Chase Lyles to fly out to end the threat.
Northwestern State went ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the third. Jaworski drew a one-out walk and later moved to second on a stolen base. Two batters later, Jones plated Jaworski with a RBI single past a sprawling Jordan Poirrier (Reserve, La.) at third.
Hennigan allowed the first Cajun to reach in the fourth when Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) drew a two-out walk. However, Chance Harst (Lafayette, La.) struck out to end the inning, leaving Hawkins stranded at first.
The Demons missed an opportunity to extend their lead in the fourth, but, with two runners in scoring position, Jaworski grounded out to end the inning.
Louisiana spoiled Northwestern State's no-hit bid in the sixth with back-to-back singles by Greg Fontenot (Lafayette, La.) and Bowman. Fontenot later scored on a Rodriguez wild pitch to tie the game at 1-1. A pair of Cajun walks later loaded the bases for Poirrier, but Rodriguez got the sophomore chase a fastball to strike out for the third out.
The Cajuns manufactured the go-ahead run, 2-1, the hard way in the eighth. Bowman led off the inning with an infield single deep in the hole to shortstop Denney Choate. Bowman later advanced to second on a wild pitch before moving to third on a double steal with Hawkins. On the play, the catcher Jones' throw to second sailed in the outfield which allowed Bowman to score the go-ahead run from third.
Glass relieved Gregory Harmon (Crowley, La.) in the eighth calmly retiring the side to preserve the 2-1 lead. However, things unraveled for Glass in the ninth as the senior suffered his second loss of the season.
Louisiana returns home Wednesday to face the same Northwestern State Demons squad for "Turn Back the Clock Night" at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
RaginCajuns.com
Chris Yandle