Cajuns Secure an Extra Innings Victory over Tulane, 5-2
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns win 5-2 in 11 innings to down the Tulane Green Wave.
The team came into this game Tuesday night against Tulane 6-9 and struggling offensively. We knew the bullpen for UL was going to be a bit taxed with starting pitcher Colten Schmidt having to be on a pitch count so he might be available on Sunday in possible relief of Hogan Harris if he's able to make the start.
With the offense struggling, they decided to move Daniel Lahare to the top of the order and move Gavin Bourgeois down to the two-hole.
Right away the switch paid dividends as Lahare began the game with a single, Bourgeois walked, and then Kasuls executed a beautiful sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third. From there Kennon Fontenot was able to make contact with a swinging bunt to the right side of the infield that was able to plate Lahare with the games first run, UL lead 1-0 early.
Colten Schmidt with the start ran through the first inning throwing 10 pitches and nine of them for strikes.
In the second the Cajuns got the lead-off runner on base when Marco Ramos was hit by a pitch, they ended up loading the bases with two outs but Bourgeois flied out harmlessly to end the threat.
Schmidt breezes through five innings in this one while throwing only 59 pitches, two hits, 0 BB, and four strikeouts.
In the sixth the Cajuns put together three straight hits to plate an additional run and it was the bottom of the order getting the job done. First, Marco Ramos got his first collegiate hit, Windham singled, and finally Luke Coker plated Ramos with an opposite field base-hit with his first career base knock. Unfortunately, Windham missed a sign, was caught stealing third, and the Cajuns weren't able score any additional runs.
Brock Batty would enter the game and after inducing a ground-out, Jonathon Artigues then tripled on a ball right fielder Marco Ramos misplayed, and then was brought home by a Kody Hoese sacrifice fly.
Fast forward to the bottom of the 8th, enter Logan Stoelke for a potential six out save.Unfortunately, the home plate and first base umpires would squeeze him for a couple of strike calls, he couldn't recover, and walked the next two batters. After that it was Kody Hoese again and he got Stoelke up the middle for a base hit that tied the game at 2.
We move to the bottom of the 10th inning and it was a jam for Dylan Moore, bases loaded, one out, game tied at 2. Moore got the first batter he faced to ground out to Hayden Cantrelle who made a very difficult play to pick the ball and throw on to McKinnon at home for the second out. Then, it was Matt Rowland to face D-Mo and he struck him out swinging to end the Green Wave threat!
The Cajuns wouldn't allow this game to go any further without scoring as we moved to the top of the 11th. It was Coker with a single, Jansen Fontenot came in to run for Coker, McKinnon sacrificed him to second, and then Lahare beat out a soft ground ball to short. Finally, UL broke through with a Gavin Bourgeois base hit through the left side that scored Fontenot, 3-2 Cajuns. They weren't done, because defensive replacement, Zach LaFleur comes up and cranks a double to the left-center field gap to score two, 5-2 Cajuns.
Dylan Moore struggled a little bit with his control in the bottom of the inning but induced a ground ball with the bases loaded to start a game winning double play. Cajuns win 5-2 over Tulane.
The Ragin' Cajuns move to 7-9 on the season as the Tulane Green Wave fall to 8-9.
Coming up for UL, they open their conference schedule at Georgia Southern for a three game series starting on Friday.
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