Morris' Extra-inning Rbi Single Gives Ragin' Cajuns 3-2 Victory Over Gophers
Louisiana starting pitcher Kevin Ardoin struck out 11 batters in seven innings
MINNEAPOLIS - Dallas Morris' RBI single to right field in the top of the 10th inning proved to be the game-winner as the No. 19-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns took a 3-2 extra-inning victory over Minnesota here Saturday night in game four of the Metrodome Classic.
Kraig Schambough (2-0) earned his second win of the season, going three innings and allowing one hit with two strikeouts. Minnesota's Jon Mueller (0-1) received the loss, going 3 2/3 innings. Mueller allowed one run on six hits.
Louisiana (16-2) starting pitcher Kevin Ardoin (4-0) received the no-decision. Ardoin went seven innings, striking out a season-high 11 batters while allowing one run on three hits. Ardoin struck out every Gophers batter at least once.
Ardoin fell one strikeout short of his career high 12 strikeouts which had in wins at New Mexico State (April 4, 2003) and against Stony Brook (February 27, 2004). Ardoin also moved him into fourth place all-time on the school's strikeout list, giving him 249 career strikeouts.
Minnesota (2-6) starting pitcher Cole DeVries also received a no-decision, going 5 2/3 innings for the Gophers. DeVries allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out two.
In each of the first two innings, Minnesota threatened with at least one base runner in scoring position. In both innings, Ardoin was able to get himself out of the jam, striking out three batters and hold the Gophers to just two hits.
Justin Morgan continued his weekend hitting clinic in the second inning with an RBI double to left-center field to plate Dallas Morris, giving the Cajuns a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the fourth, Minnesota's Andy Hunter drew a lead-off walk. Ardoin then struck out the next three Gophers batters to end the inning.
After two straight three-up-and-three-down innings, the Cajuns threatened in the fifth. With two outs, Micah Cockrell sent a single up the middle followed by John Coker's hot shot to third base. Josh Landry grounded out to end the inning.
In the fifth, Ardoin again allowed a lead-off base runner and struck out three straight Gophers batters to end the inning. In that inning, Ardoin struck out his eighth batter of the game - Gophers shortstop Matt Fornasiere - passing former Ragin' Cajuns pitcher Scott Dohmann for fourth on the school's all-time strikeout list.
The Cajuns added a run in the sixth to extend their lead to 2-0. After Jefferies Tatford was hit by a pitch, Phillip Hawke advanced Tatford to second with a sacrifice bunt. Tatford later advanced to third on a wild pitch. Morris' RBI single to right field plated Tatford. Merendino popped up to left field to end the inning.
Ardoin was pulled in the seventh in favor of Brandt Sanders after walking Fornasiere to lead off the inning. Sanders faced only one batter after giving up a right-field single to Mike Mee to put runners at the corners. Kraig Schambough then relieved Sanders - still with no outs in the seventh inning.
The Gophers put together an eighth inning rally, plating two runs to tie the game at 2-2. Schambough hit the first batter he faced to load the bases. Hunter grounded out to Morris, but it allowed Fornasiere to cross the plate. Aaron Larson's sacrifice fly to center field allowed Mee - the tying run - to score.
The Cajuns regained the lead in the top of the 10th. After a Tatford strikeout, Hawke hit a single to center field, followed by a John McCarthy single up the middle. After Cody Martin entered the game as a pinch runner for Hawke, Morris plated Martin with an RBI single to right field to give the Cajuns the eventual 3-2 victory.
Morris went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, including the eventual game-winner. Morgan went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, improving his career-weekend total to 7-for-8 at the plate with four doubles and five RBI. Hawke went 3-for-4, while Coker went 2-for-5.
Jeremy Chlan led the Gophers at the plate, going 2-for-4. Larson and Hunter each had an RBI.
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns will face St. John's University for the second time this season Sunday at 10:30 p.m. in game five of the Metrodome Classic.
LOUISIANA SI
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Ragin' Cajuns slip past Gophers
