Louisiana-Lafayette scored 20-plus runs in back-to-back games for the first time since 1996
LOUISIANA La. - For the second time in as many games, the No. 17-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team scored more than 20 runs. This time it came in a 22-4 thrashing of South Alabama in the Sun Belt Conference opener here Friday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
Louisiana-Lafayette (21-4, 1-0 Sun Belt) scored at least 20 runs in back-to-back games for the first time since February 10, 1996, when the Cajuns won 24-0 and 26-3 in a twin-bill over Prairie View A&M. The Cajuns have scored 20 runs in the sixth inning in the last two games; the Cajuns scored nine runs in the sixth inning against Lamar on Tuesday night.
The 18-run defeat is the worst for South Alabama (14-10, 0-1 Sun Belt) in the previous 63 all-time meetings with the Cajuns.
Louisiana-Lafayette starting pitcher Kevin Ardoin (6-0) earned the win, going eight innings. Ardoin allowed two runs on six hits, while striking out a season-low six batters. South Alabama starting pitcher Chase Christianson (2-3) received the loss, after going 3 1/3 innings. Christianson allowed 11 runs on nine hits with three strikeouts.
After an uneventful inning and a half, the Cajuns' offense picked up right where it left off from Tuesday night's 23-3 thumping over Lamar.
In the bottom of the second inning, Dallas Morris extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a double to right field. Phillip Hawke then drew a walk. Jefferies Tatford's sacrifice bunt advanced the runners to second and third. After Justin Merendino struck out, Justin Morgan plated Morris and Hawke with a two-RBI double to right field to give the Cajuns a 2-0 lead. Micah Cockrell struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Cajuns extended their lead to 7-0 in the third inning. With one out, Josh Landry doubled to right field and later scored on a John McCarthy double to right-center field. Morris then reached on a throwing error by Jaguars third baseman David Freese. Hawke then drew his second walk of the night to load the bases. McCarthy was then thrown out at home plate on a Tatford fielder's choice.
Merendino redeemed himself on the next pitch with a grand slam over the left field fence to give the Cajuns a 7-0 lead.
The Cajuns' offensive explosion continued with a four-run fourth inning. Cockrell led off with a single to left field. Coker followed with a single to right field. Landry reached on base and Cockrell scored on a fielding error by South Alabama second baseman Jeff Morris to load the bases. Morris plated Coker and Landry with a two-RBI triple to left-center field, giving the home team a 10-0 advantage. Hawke's sacrifice fly to left field plate Morris to increase the Cajuns' lead to 11-0.
Ardoin surrendered back-to-back home runs in the top of the fifth to cut the Cajuns' lead to 11-2. Before South Alabama's two-run fifth inning, the Cajuns had scored 28 unanswered runs dating back to Tuesday night's game.
In the sixth inning, South Alabama's David Freese extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Cajuns made a repeat performance of Tuesday, scoring 11 runs to take a 22-2 lead. Landry singled through the right side to lead off the inning. McCarthy then reached on a fielding error by Stapleton. Landry and McCarthy advanced on a wild pitch. After Morris struck out swinging, Landry scored on a wild pitch. Hawke walked and Tatford was hit by a pitch. Merendino then reached on a fielding error by Guillermo Martinez, which scored Merendino to give the Cajuns a 13-2 lead. Morgan was then hit by a pitch, which plated Hawke. After a Cockrell strike out, Coker drew a two-out walk that scored Tatford. Landry had the Cajuns' second hit of the inning - a single through the left side - which plated two runs for a 17-2 lead.
McCarthy then drew a walk. Morris followed with a two-RBI single to left field and advanced to second on a fielding error by Quendon Montgomery. McCarthy, Landry and Coker all scored on the play to give the Cajuns an 18-run lead, 20-2. Hawke followed with his fourth home run of the season - a two-run round-tripper - to straightaway center field for a 22-2 lead.
The Jaguars added two more runs in the ninth on a Ryan Nichols home run to left field.
Morris led the Cajuns offensively, going 3-for-5 with four runs and four RBI. Hawke went 1-for-1 with three walks and three RBI. Landry went 3-for-6 with four runs and two RBI, while Merendino knocked in a career-high five runs.
LOUISIANA SI
Ragin' Cajuns open Sun Belt play vs. rival Jags
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Was able to bring my son, one daughter, and Godchild Cajungunabe to the games last night. Took in some of the softball game then the baseball game. Cajungunabe loved the Cajun hospitality, food, and atmosphere. He sat and talked with Thad Montgomery's dad(super nice man) about pitching do's and don'ts. Caught a baseball with his UL hat and later had the team sign the ball and Robe sign his hat. This is what sells kids on a program, Cajun good times and the PEOPLE. He hopefully will be able to thank us all many times in the future!!
Daddy
Cajun
