Ragin' Cajuns bounce back from Friday and take Series over FIU

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Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun baseball team did what it didn't do Friday night, and that's continue to score runs after taking an early lead.

But even with that, it took a big defensive play for the Cajuns to finally put away Florida International's Golden Panthers Saturday afternoon.

Senior second baseman Justin Merendino turned what appeared to be a bases-loaded single into a huge double play to end the eighth inning, a play that broke the Panthers' spirit and in effect locked up a 9-5 UL victory that evened the Sun Belt Conference weekend series at one win each.

FIU trailed by that four-run margin after the Cajuns (34-8, 8-3) manufactured a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the Panthers loaded the bases with one out in the eighth on a single, an error on shortstop Micah Cockrell and a dropped fly ball by right fielder John McCarthy.

That brought up speedy Panther center fielder Dennis Diaz, who lined a Kraig Schambough pitch just to the right of second base. Merendino leaped to grab the liner and steal a sure base hit, and backhand-flipped to Cockrell to trap James McOwen off second base in a close play that ended FIU's (27-15, 8-6) final threat.

"If that one gets through, we're in trouble," Merendino said. "I was just in the right spot at the right time. I was at double-play depth, but I knew we'd have a hard time doubling their guys up. We really needed that."

With that boost, Schambough made short work of three batters in the ninth to record his third save of the year and the 10th of his career, tying a UL career mark.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[JMV JustMyView]

We need to win sunday to take the series.

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LOUISIANA La. - The 21st-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns scored early and often to win its fourth-straight Sun Belt Conference series with a 10-2 victory over Florida International here Sunday afternoon at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

With the win, Louisiana (35-8, 9-3 Sun Belt) remained in first place in the Sun Belt Conference standings, while Florida International (27-16, 8-7 Sun Belt) lost its third Sun Belt road series this season.

Louisiana starting pitcher Micah Cockrell (4-2) earned his second-straight win in his second-straight start. Cockrell allowed two runs on six hits with a walk and a strikeout in five innings. Hunter Moody earned his first career save, allowing a hit in four innings of work.

Florida International freshman starting pitcher Elih Villanueva (6-3) only lasted 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with a walk.

For the second straight game, Louisiana-Lafayette scored first and raced out to an early 4-0 lead.

In the first inning, John Coker led off with triple to left center field. John McCarthy later plated Coker to give the Cajuns a one-run edge.

Louisiana plated three more runs in the second to extend its lead to four runs. After a Dallas Morris lead-off walk, Morris was caught stealing for the first out. Phillip Hawke then sent a single to left field, followed by Justin Merendino who singled to center field. Jameson Parker then cleared the bases with a two-RBI triple to left center field, which increased the Cajuns' lead to 3-0.

Adam Massiatte's sacrifice fly to right field plated Parker to give the Cajuns a 4-0 lead.

Jonathan Lucroy's RBI double to left center field scored McCarthy to increase the Cajuns lead to 6-0. Louisiana-Lafayette had a chance to possibly add more runs in the inning, but the Cajuns left the bases loaded to end the inning.

Florida International scored two runs in the sixth, cutting the Cajuns' lead to 5-2. Bryan Pullin was hit by a pitch, followed by Michael Lopez's single through the right side, which advanced Pullin to third. Pullin later scored on a wild pitch. Yahmed Yema followed with an RBI double to right field, plating Lopez for the Golden Panthers' second run of the inning.

Moody then replaced Cockrell after a Nick Cadena walk. Moody shut the door on the Golden Panthers, which left two runners on at the end of the inning.

Louisiana again left the bases loaded in the sixth, but not without scoring another run to increase its lead 6-2. Adam Massiatte led off with an infield bunt single. Coker's sacrifice bunt advanced Massiatte to second. McCarthy's RBI single to shallow left field allowed Massiatte to score, increasing the Cajuns' lead to 6-2.

Lucroy followed with a single and Morris later walked to load the bases, but Hawke was unable to plate additional runs as he grounded out to first base to end the inning.

The Cajuns scored two insurance runs in the seventh to increase their lead to 8-2. After a Justin Merendino walk, Parker reached on a throwing error by FIU catcher Cody Jacobs which scored Merendino all the way from first. Massiatte then singled and advanced to second a throwing error by Cadena. Parker scored on the error to give the Cajuns a six-run cushion.

Louisiana scored two more runs in the eighth inning to pull away 10-2. Hawke's second solo home run in as many games highlighted the inning.

Hawke went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a solo home run, while Parker went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Yema and McOwen each had a pair of hits for the Golden Panthers, which left seven runners on base, while Louisiana-Lafayette left 12 runners stranded.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns will return to action Wednesday when they travel to Lake Charles to face the McNeese State Cowboys in a 7 p.m. scheduled first pitch at Cowboy Diamond.

LOUISIANA SI

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LAFAYETTE, LA -- No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette (35-8, 9-3 Sun Belt) jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first two innings en route to a 10-2 win over FIU (27-16, 8-7 Sun Belt) on Sunday afternoon at Tigue Moore Field.

FIU used five pitchers in the loss, starter Elih Villanueva went a season-low 1 2/3 innings. He allowed four hits and four runs – all earned, falling to 6-3 on the season. Louisiana-Lafayette starter Micah Cockrell picked up the win to raise his record to 4-2 in his second collegiate start. In five innings of work, he allowed six hits and surrendered two runs – both earned. Hunter Harvey out of the bullpen for the Ragin’ Cajuns, gave up just one hit over the final four innings for his first save of the season.

The Ragin’ Cajuns pounded out 12 hits, including three from first baseman Phillip Hawke. Louisiana-Lafayette also got a 2-for-4 performance with two runs scored and three RBI from shortstop James Parker. For FIU, junior Yahmed Yema and freshman James McOwen led the Golden Panthers with two hits.

John Coker tripled to the gap in left center to start the bottom of the first. He came around to score on a RBI ground out by John McCarthy to give the Ragin’ Cajuns an early 1-0 lead. Louisiana-Lafayette added to its lead, scoring three in the second. A two-RBI triple by Jameson Parker scored Justin Merendino and Hawke, who reached on back-to-back singles. A sacrifice fly by Adam Massiatte plated the third run of the inning. Villanueva hit the next two batters, ending the day for him.

The Golden Panthers opened the fifth with a pair of singles by James McOwen and Corey Lozano. The duo moved to second and third on a Danny Marquez sacrifice bunt. With runners on second and third, Cockrell and the Ragin’ Cajuns got out of the jam with a strikeout and a fly out.

Louisiana-Lafayette extended its lead to 5-0 in the bottom half of the inning. After McCarthy reached on a walk McCarthy, he came around to score on a RBI double by Jonathan Lucroy.

FIU offense got on track in the sixth inning, cutting the Louisiana-Lafayette lead to 5-2. With Bryan Pullin on third and Michael Lopez on first, junior Yahmed Yema hit a double down the right-field line for the first Golden Panthers’ run. A Cockrell wild pitch plated Lopez for the second run of the inning. Nick Cadena walked to bring the tying run to the plate and end the day for Cockrell. Ragin’ Cajuns reliever Hunter Moody entered the contest and got out of the jam without allowing further damage by FIU.

Late in the contest, the Ragin Cajuns blew the game wide open, scoring five more runs – two apiece in the seventh and eighth and one in the sixth.

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