Cajuns Walk Off Against UTA, 3-2

Kyle Clement's infield single with two out in the ninth scored Evan Powell with the game winning run as the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns won their fifth straight game, defeating UT Arlington, 3-2 before 4,073 at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field Saturday night.

Powell's single to left started the ninth against losing pitcher Jacob Moreland (3-2).  Nick Thurman sacrificed Powell to second and pinch hitter Brenn Conrad grounded to second against reliever Jake Wilcox.  Blake Trahan was walked intentionally, before Clement hit a slow roller to short and beat Travis Sibley's throw to first base.

Chris Charpentier (3-3) pitched two perfect innings in relief of Evan Guillory to get the win.

UTA got on the board in the second inning when Jackson Morris led off with a walk.  Guillory got the next two batters, but Christian Hollie singled, Dalton DeLeon singled to score Morris and Eric Tate singled to plate Hollie with the second run of the inning.

But Guillory would  allow only one hit over the next five innings and that was in the sixth when Sibley led off wit a single.  A one out walk to Morris put runners at first and second, but GUillory struck out Jerame LIttell and got Darien McLemore to ground out to end the threat.

Louisiana (27-15, 12-7 Sun Belt) evened the score against starter Brad Vassar in the second inning when Powell singled with one out.  Thurman followed with a single to left, sending Powell to third and the two pulled off a double steal to get the Cajuns on the board.  Trahan followed with a base hit to score Thurman and knot the score at 2-2.

But Vassar and Moreland kept the Cajuns at bay, with Louisiana getting a runner in scoring position only once, when Clement led off the eighth with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice by Stefan Trosclair.

Clement and Powell combined for four of the Cajuns' seven hits in the contest.  Trahan set a school record for assists, tallying ten on the night, including three in the eighth inning alone.

Guillory pitched seven solid innings, allowing four hits, walking three and striking out three  Vassar allowed four hits with three walks and two strikeouts over five innings of work for UTA (17-24, 8-12), while Moreland allowed only one hit through three innings entering the ninth.

The Cajuns will try for the sweep Sunday beginning at 1pm.  The broadcast on 96.5 KPEL-FM begins at 12:35.