Zach Osborne's career-high 13 strikeouts and Justin Robichaux's two-out RBI single in the top of the ninth lifted Louisiana to a 3-1 victory over South Alabama Friday in the opening game of a Sun Belt series at Eddie Stanky Field in Mobile.
In what was a pitcher's duel between Osborne and South Alabama's D.D. Hanks, it was the Jaguars who made the costly mistake.
Shortstop Brandon Brown's throw to first on a grounder by Tyler Frederick with two outs in the ninth was wide and kept the inning alive for the Cajuns (11-7, 2-2 Sun Belt).
Two batters later with the bases loaded Robichaux shoved a single through the right side to score Frederick with the go ahead run, breaking a 1-1 tie. Brian Bowman followed with a single through the left side to give Osborne a two-run cushion.
Osborne finished off the complete game in the bottom of the ninth as the Cajuns handed South Alabama (13-8, 3-1 Sun Belt) their first Sun Belt loss and Hanks his first loss of the season.
The two teams continue the three-game weekend series Saturday at 2 p.m. UL's Taylor Hubbell will be matched up against USA's Garrett Harris.
Osborne and Hanks surrendered just three hits to their opposition and the only runs scored through the first eight innings were on wild pitches.
Osborne handcuffed the Jaguars No. 1-4 hitters holding them to a combined 1-of-14 and seven strikeouts. He collected his fifth quality start in as many trips to the mound this season.
The Ragin' Cajuns have now won five of the past six meetings with the Jaguars at Stanky Field.
The Cajuns were the first to register a run. In the fifth inning Bowman was hit by pitch, stole second and after two Hanks wild pitches scored the first run of the game.
USA benefited from an Osborne wild pitch in its half of the fifth to draw even at 1-all.
The Jags got the leadoff hitter on base in the seventh when Brent Tanner struck out and reached on a wild pitch. Chad Keefer threw out Tanner attempting to steal then Osborne recorded back-to-back outs on at bats by Zach Grichor and Taylor White.

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