Cajuns Win Home Finale, 4-3 Over Texas State
You always want your seniors to go out a winner. And, it's especially cool when it happens on Mothers' Day.
And the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns did just that, as they made a four run fourth inning stand up in a 4-3 win over Texas State Sunday afternoon at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
"I'm happy for our seniors," head coach Tony Robichaux said. They'll always remember winning their last game at home. Now we have to go on the road and see what we can accomplish."
Louisiana (32-20-1, 16-10-1 Sun Belt) trailed 2-0 after three innings. But Brenn Conrad lined a single to right field to open the fourth and Steven Sensley followed with his tenth homer of the season to tie the game. Joe Robbins then laid down a bunt single and, with one out, Kennon Fontenot walked. Brad Antchak's infield hit loaded the bases and Alex Pinero then lined a ball to deep right center for a sacrifice fly to give the Cajuns the lead. Fontenot took third on the play and scored on a double steal to give the Cajuns a 4-2 lead.
Texas State (25-27, 11-16) got a run back in the fifth off Cajuns' starter Hogan Harris (4-2) when Jacob Almendarez and Derek Scheible opened with singles between short and third. Luke Sherley popped up a bunt for the first out, but Jonathan Ortega doubled to left center to get the Bobcats within a run. But Harris came back to strike out Theodore Hoffman and get Jaylen Hubbard on a fly ball to end the inning.
Harris was relieved in the seventh by right hander Nick Lee after walking Almendarez to open the inning. Lee struck out Scheible but issued a walk to Sherley. Ortega then grounded to second and Brenn Conrad started a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.
Texas State threatened again in the eighth when Hoffman singled, but Hubbard hit into another double play with Conrad starting the twin killing. Dylan Paul then doubled but Lee got Mickey Scott to ground out.
Wyatt Marks pitched a perfect ninth inning, getting Scheible on a called third strike to end the game for his seventh save of the season.
Harris pitched six strong innings, allowing five hits and three runs with three walks and three strikeouts.
Louisiana now heads to Monroe to take on ULM in the final series of the regular season. The games will be played at 6:00 pm Thursday and Friday and 2:00 on Saturday at Warhawk Field.