Red Wolves Top Cajuns in 12 Innings, 8-7

Caleb Squire was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the twelfth to force in the winning run as Arkansas State came from behind to beat the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 8-7 at Tomlinson Stadium in Jonesboro, AR Thursday night.

Kyle McDonald led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch from losing pitcher Grant Cox (0-1).  Jeremy Brown bunted to Cox who threw low to first base, putting runners at the corners.  Tobias Johnson was walked intentionally to load the bases and Squire was plunked by the first pitch to end the game.

Louisiana (11-14, 2-5 Sun Belt) led 7-4 going into the bottom of the ninth inning, but Arkansas State (10-12, 2-5) got a leadoff walk and an RBI double off reliever Brock Batty to start the inning.  Brown and Johnson both singled off reliever Brett Williams to draw the Red Wolves within a run and a sacrifice fly by Andrew Leggo tied the game.

The Cajuns had an opportunity to get a run in the 10th when Zach Lafleur doubled to lead off the inning and was sacrificed to third by pinch hitter Luke Coker.  But Kole McKinnon failed on a suicide squeeze bunt with Lafleur being tagged out.

The Red Wolves got on the board first on a two run single by Cullen Ray, but the Cajuns tied it on Hunter Kasuls' two run double in the third.  Louisiana took the lead in the fifth on a double by Caleb Bourgeois and back to back triples by Kasuls and Kennon Fontenot and a sacrifice fly by Hayden Cantrelle to go up 5-2.  A State got a solo homer by Winston Welch off starter Jack Burk in the seventh and got another run in the eighth on a Welch RBI double to make the score 5-4.

The Cajuns appeared to put the game away in the ninth on an RBI double by Bourgois and a single by Kasuls to take a 7-4 lead before Arkansas State rallied.

Welch was 5-5 to lead the Red Wolves, who out hit the Cajuns 16-10.  Brown and Casey Vaughan added three hits each.  Kasuls had three hits and drove in a career high four runs for Louisiana.

The two teams will play again Friday night at 6:30.