Lions Pull Away From Cajuns in the Seventh
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns pitching staff limited Southeastern Louisiana's number of base hits, but it was one hit that gave the Lions the lead in an 11-4 victory Wednesday evening at Alumni Field in Hammond.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning, a two-out double by Brock Hebert down the left field line cleared the bases and gave SLU a 4-1 advantage.
Blake Wascom entered in relief of starter Ryland Parker for the Ragin' Cajuns (5-2) and held the Lions (9-0) in check his first three innings. Louisiana added a single run in the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 4-2.
UL loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning threatening to either tie or take the lead. Matt Goulas swung at the first pitch he saw from SLU closer Chris Franklin and grounded out to first for the third out.
The game got away from Louisiana in the bottom half of the seventh as the Lions pushed across six runs. With the bases loaded Randall Bulliard walked and then hit back-to-back batters and SLU's lead grew to 8-2.
Louisiana returns to "The Tigue" this weekend to host Southern Miss in a three-game series. Start times are 6 p.m., 2 p.m., and 1 p.m.
The Cajuns pitching staff issued seven walks and hit six SLU batters, giving the Lions 13 free passes onto the basepaths.
Parker, making his Division I debut, took the loss for UL. He tossed three innings allowing four runs on three hits.
Brian Bowman and Jordan Poirrier led the Cajuns with both going 2-of-4 at the plate. Poirrier scored twice.
Tyler Watkins, who held UL to two runs on five hits in five innings, collected the win for the Lions. Franklin, who entered in the seventh inning earned his third save of the season.
The two teams will have a rematch on Wednesday, March 17 at "The Tigue". Then, the Cajuns will look to halt a four-game losing streak to SLU.
Louisiana manufactured a run in the top of the third after a leadoff double from Kyle Olasin. Greg Fontenot sacrificed Olasin over to third base and Bowman hit a line drive deep to left field for a sacrifice fly and a 1-0 lead.
Three walks issued by Parker in the Lions' half of the third allowed the hosts to push across their first run. Hebert's two-out double gave the hosts the lead.
The Cajuns got one of the runs back in the fourth when on a walk to Dillon Guillory a wild pitch from Watkins allowed Poirrier to score.
The bottom of the fourth was highlighted by UL turning the program's first triple play since March 1997. The Lions' runners on first and second base broke off the bag on a liner to Guillory at first base off the bat of Jeff Harkensee. After the catch, Guillory stepped on first base and flipped to Poirrier at second for the triple play.
On March 8, 1997, at Lamar, the combination of Ian Calais, Zach Wilson and Oswaldo Aguirre turned a triple play off the bat of Anthony Ambrosini.
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