GREENVILLE, N.C. – Despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Ragin’ Cajuns could not hold on Sunday, falling 9-4 to East Carolina as the Pirates completed the sweep and gained a 3-2 all-time advantage over Louisiana. The Cajuns fall to 21-25-1 on the season with the loss.

Kyle Bostick struck his first career home run in the seventh inning and went 3-for-4 on the day with two RBIs in his best offensive outing of the year. Les Smith also had a productive day at the plate, 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs on two doubles. Matt Goulas, Alex Fuselier and Travis Whipple each had one hit to round out the Cajuns’ offensive line.

Louisiana starting pitcher Greg Harmon threw five innings, allowing five runs, all earned, on eight hits, three walks and two strikeouts, taking the loss to move to 0-2 on the season. He was relieved after hitting the only batter he faced in the sixth by southpaw Blake Haagen.

Haagen gave up two runs on two hits before leaving the sixth on a two-run home run to left field by ECU second baseman Ryan Wood. Dayton Marze replaced Haagen in the seventh and finished the eighth, allowing two runs, both earned, on two hits and a walk.

Goulas started the game off with a single to left field, and Alex Fuselier followed it up with the first consecutive hit of the weekend, also singling to left field. Les Smith gave the Cajuns a quick two-run lead with a bases-clearing double to right field, scoring Goulas and Fuselier.

East Carolina made up one run in the bottom of the first, as Kyle Roller scored on a Stephen Batts RBI single up the middle.

Les Smith doubled for the second time to lead off the fourth inning, and after Keefer sacrificed him to third, Kyle Bostick tallied his second hit with an RBI single through the left side.

The Pirates answered again with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the fourth, bringing the Cajuns’ lead back down to 3-2. Then, with runners on second and third, left fielder Stephen Batts hit a two-out double down the left field line to score two and put the Pirates on top 4-3.

In the sixth inning, Blake Haagen took over for Harmon with a runner on first base. After moving to second on sacrifice fly, the runner got to third on a wild pitch and came home on a Trent Whitehead double into left field. The next batter, Ryan Wood, put one into the stands in left field for two runs to extend the Pirates’ lead to 7-3.

Kyle Bostick led the seventh off with his first home run of the year to straightaway right field, bringing the Cajuns back within three at 7-4.

The Pirates tacked on two more in the eighth inning on a Kyle Roller two-RBI single off of Dayton Marze.

The Cajuns take the week off for finals before hosting Western Kentucky next weekend, May 8-10, at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field for the final home weekend of 2009. Friday’s game hits the airwaves on SportsRadio ESPN 1420 AM and ESPN1420.com, and the Saturday and Sunday games move to NewsRadio 105.1 KPEL and KPEL1051.com. Live video and statistics will be available on RaginCajuns.com, and MyKLAF-TV (Cox 13) hosts its final broadcast of the year on Saturday

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