Monica, Lott Power Cajuns to Sweep, 11-5

Handsome Monica and Todd Lott each belted three run homers Sunday to carry Louisiana past Georgia State 11-5, completing the three game sweep of the Panthers.

Monica's blast over the scoreboard in left center field erased an early 3-0 Georgia State lead, while Lott's shot to left went into the pine trees and put the game away in the eighth.

The Cajuns (25-28, 13-14 Sun Belt) honored their seven seniors prior to the game and all of them played a part in the victory.  Hunter Kasuls had a pair of hits, a run scored and an RBI.  Orynn Veillon scored twice and extended his hitting streak to 17 games.  Monica had three hits and drove in four runs.  Daniel Lahare had a pair of hits and two runs scored.  Kole McKinnon had two hits and an RBI.  On the mound, Grant Cox pitched four strong innings for the Cajuns and Gunner Leger, making his first appearance in three weeks, got the last four outs for his third save of the season.

Georgia State (14-38, 5-22) led 3-0 after Elian Merejo's solo homer in the fourth.  But Monica's blast tied the game and McKinnon's single scored Lahare and put the Cajuns ahead.  The Panthers tied the game in the sixth against reliever Caleb Armstrong (1-1) without getting a hit, but Louisiana took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning against reliever Ryan Watson (6-4) on RBI singles from Brennan Brreaux and O'Neal Lochridge.

Georgia State picked up an unearned run in the seventh and had runners at the corners with two out in the eighth.  But Leger entered to a standing ovation from the crowd and got Daino Deas to ground out to end the threat, setting the stage for the Cajuns' five run eighth, with all five runs scoring with two outs.

After being limited to two runs on five hits by Hunter Gaddis in the first game of the series, the Cajuns scored 27 runs on 31 hits in the final two games.

With the sweep, Louisiana moved past both ULM and Arkansas State in the standings and will need only one win or one loss by Arkansas State to qualify for the Sun Belt Conference tournament.