Louisiana Outlasts McNeese To Claim Season Series With 12-10 Victory
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team picked up a 12-10 victory over McNeese on Tuesday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park to complete the series sweep of the Cowboys.

The Ragin' Cajuns (16-17) were outhit 15-9 in the contest by McNeese (13-20) but drew a season-best 10 walks.

Louisiana was strong defensively as the squad turned the first triple play since March 3, 2010 in the contest in the top of the seventh inning.

Junior Grant Cox was the beneficiary of the triple play claiming his first career victory for the Cajuns limiting the Cowboys to one run on three hits in 1.2 innings of work. Freshman Michael Leaumont recorded his first career save tossing 1.1 scoreless innings with three strikeouts to close out the contest.

Austin Briggs was handed the loss for McNeese after surrendering five runs (four earned) on four hits and two walks in 1.1 innings.

LEADING THE CAJUNS

Senior Kennon Fontenot led the Cajuns at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Fontenot increased his on-base streak to 13 games, while senior Zach LaFleur had a career-high four RBI going 2-for-5 and scored a run.

The Ragin' Cajuns swiped nine bases in the game led by freshman Hayden Cantrelle who had three which is the most by a player since Ishmael Edwards stole three against Sacred Heart on March 6, 2016.

On the mound, junior Hogan Harris notched two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in a short start for Louisiana.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Cajuns jumped out to 7-2 lead after four innings as Louisiana plated three runs in both the first and third innings.

The early lead would not hold up though as McNeese rallied for seven runs on six hits and a walk in the top of the fifth inning to take a 9-7 edge. A three-run homer down the right field line by Jake Cochran capped the scoring in the inning to give the Cowboys the lead.

The Ragin' Cajuns responded in the bottom half of the sixth with a five-run inning to regain the lead 12-9. After Cantrelle scored on an RBI single up the middle by Fontenot, LaFleur plated Hunter Kasuls on an infield single to tie the game at 9-all. Fontenot gave Louisiana a 10-9 lead when he came home on a double steal with runners on the corners. The Cajuns picked up the final two runs of the inning on an RBI single by Todd Lott and a throwing error by McNeese third baseman Carson Maxwell.

In the top of the seventh, the Cowboys put runners on first and second with no outs before Brett Whelton lined a ball to Kasuls at second base who started the triple play tossing the ball to Cantrelle at second base who completed the play with a throw to Tyler Stover at first to end the inning.

McNeese narrowed the lead to 12-10 in the top of the eighth on a two-out RBI double to right center by Reid Bourque.

The Cowboys threatened again in the top of the ninth putting runners on the corners with one out, but Leaumont settled in and struck out both Whelton and Cochran looking to end the game.

UP NEXT

The Ragin' Cajuns return to action tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. against Southeastern Louisiana to close out their five-game homestand. Following the matchup with the Lions, Louisiana will head back on the road with a three-game series at Appalachian State starting Friday at 5 p.m. CT.

For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow Ragin' Cajuns baseball on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.

JAGS SCORE 11 UNANSWERED RUNS TO DEFEAT ASU
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama baseball team scored 11 unanswered runs over the final three innings to defeat Alabama State 18-7 Tuesday at Wheeler-Watkins Baseball Complex.

South Alabama (18-13) broke a 7-7 tie with seven runs in the top of the fifth inning, and added four additional runs in the top of the seventh. The game was called after seven innings due to the 10-run rule.

USA will return to action this weekend when it hosts Georgia Southern in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Stanky Field, with game one set for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Fri., April 13.

GAME FACTS
- South Alabama took a five-run lead in the top of the first inning with five runs on four hits. Travis Swaggerty led off the game with a walk, and moved to second with no outs on a single to left field by Dylan Hardy. A wild pitch from ASU right-hander Channing Walker put both runners into scoring position before Brendan Donovan drew a walk to load the bases with no outs. Carter Perkins followed with an RBI fielder's choice on a grounder to second that allowed Swaggerty to score the game's first run. Michael Sandle delivered a two-out RBI double down the left field line later in the inning that scored Hardy and doubled the Jaguar lead at 2-0. Hunter Stokes followed with a two-run single back up the middle to score Perkins and Sandle to extend the USA lead to 4-0. A wild pitch from Walker allowed Stokes to move to second with two outs, and Andrew Bates followed with a walk. Will Luft then reached on a fielding error by ASU third baseman Ray Hernandez that scored Stokes for a 5-0 Jaguar advantage.
- Hunter Allen reached on a hit by pitch from Jaguar right-hander Tyler Perez to lead off the bottom of the second, and moved to second on a single through the right side of the infield by Chris Lewis. A flyout to right-center field by Hunter Phillips allowed Allen to tag from second and put runners at the corners with one out. Lewis stole second with two outs before Joseph Estrada drew a walk to load the bases for Noel Cheneau, who reached on a hit by pitch that scored Allen to cut the Jaguar lead to 5-1.
- Wells Davis and Sandle reached on consecutive walks to start the top of the third. A sacrifice bunt by Stokes moved both runners into scoring position with one out. Bates followed with a sacrifice fly to center field to score Davis for a 6-1 USA lead. Luft then reached on a throwing error by ASU shortstop Chris DeGuzman that allowed Sandle to score for a 7-1 advantage.
- Gustavo Rios led off the bottom of the third for ASU with a single to left field, and moved to second on a fielding error by Davis on a grounder to first off the bat of Cage Cox. Allen followed with a bunt single to third to load the bases with no outs. Lewis followed with a two-run single to left-center field to cut the USA lead to 7-3. Estrada drew a two-out walk to load the bases later in the inning for Cheneau, who delivered a three-run double to left-center field to cut the Jaguar lead to 7-6.
- Cox led off the bottom of the fourth with a single up the middle, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Allen. Lewis drew a one-out walk before Phillips singled through the left side of the infield to load the bases with one out. DeGuzman followed with an RBI single to left field to score Cox and tie the game at 7-7.
- Sandle and Stokes reached on consecutive walks to start the top of the fifth inning. A sacrifice bunt by Bates advanced both runners into scoring position with one out. Luft followed with an RBI infield single to shortstop that scored Sandle for an 8-7 Jaguar lead. Swaggerty then delivered an RBI single to right field to plate Stokes for a 9-7 USA lead. Hardy drew a one-out walk to load the bases for Donovan, who delivered a grand slam over the right field wall on a 3-1 pitch from ASU left-hander Ricky Perez for a 13-7 lead. Paul Russo followed with a pinch-hit RBI double to right-center field to score Perkins and double the Jag lead at 14-7.
- Donovan singled to center field with one out in the top of the seventh, and moved to third on a two-out single to center field by Davis to put runners at the corners. Russo then delivered a two-out, three-run home run to right field on an 0-2 pitch from ASU right-hander Britt Buckalew for a 17-7 Jaguar advantage. Stokes and Bates followed with consecutive singles to put runners at the corners with two outs. Luft then delivered an RBI single to left field to plate Stokes with the game's final run.

NOTES
- Swaggerty extended his on-base streak to 13 games with a leadoff walk in the top of the first inning, and extended his hitting streak to six games with an RBI single in the fifth inning.
- Donovan's grand slam was the first by a Jaguar since Wells Davis' on May 13 last year at Appalachian State. He finished 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and tied his career high with four RBIs.
- Russo went 2-for-2 after entering the game as a pinch-hitter, and finished with a double, one home run, one run scored and a career-high four RBIs.
- All nine Jaguar starters hit safely in the game, and eight different Jaguars drove in at least one run in the contest.
- The Jags recorded 16 RBIs in the game, which bettered their previous season high of 14 against Hartford on Feb. 23. USA's 18 runs scored also marked a new season high, surpassing their 17-run output against Hartford on Feb. 23.
- With five runs in the first inning, South Alabama is now outscoring the opposition 40-9 in the first inning this season.
- Jaguar left-hander Zach Melton (1-2) tossed three scoreless relief innings, and allowed two hits with a pair of strikeouts to earn the win.
- Hornet right-hander Alexander Castro (0-1) allowed seven runs on three hits with three strikeouts against five walks in 3 2/3 relief innings in the loss.
- South Alabama improved its winning streak over Alabama State to four games, and improved to 16-2 all-time against the Hornets.

QUOTES
Head Coach Mark Calvi
- On the win:
"We had some good at-bats; we got some sacrifice bunts down and took some walks. It wasn't just the guys who hit home runs or got hits. (Andrew) Bates got a good sac bunt down, (Brendan) Donovan had the big grand slam, (Travis) Swaggerty had a good at-bat and (Paul) Russo came off the bench with a double and a home run. Up and down the lineup – I thought (Carter) Perkins caught extremely well, and Zach Melton did a great job. (Austin) Gossman wasn't bad. I told the coaches that the first team and pitcher to settle this game down would win. And although Gossman's (outing) wasn't exactly the way I wanted it to be, it wasn't a crooked number. I thought he came in and did a respectable job. (Tyler) Perez will be better, he was off tonight; I have seen him much better than that.

"But it was good to see our guys respond. It's one thing to win 18-7 when you are up by 10 (runs) the whole game, but it's another to give up the lead and then answer. You could see a look of being shell-shocked, but our guys weren't – they came back and I thought they played the game the right way all night long. We made a couple of mistakes, we didn't necessarily help the pitchers out in the five-run third inning but all-in-all I will take it. I would rather win ugly than lose pretty, and tonight wasn't ugly; we just did some fundamental things incorrectly that we need to clean up. All you ask is that your team responds and plays the game the right way, and that's what our guys did when their backs were against the wall – they responded, stayed together and played good baseball."

UP NEXT
South Alabama will return to action this weekend when it hosts Georgia Southern in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Stanky Field, with game one set for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch on Fri., April 13.

No. 17 Coastal Carolina Gets 9-2 Road Win at Wake Forest
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Castal Carolina pounded out 14 hits, including five doubles and a home run, while Matt Eardensohn improved to 4-0 in his first start to lead the 17th-ranked Chanticleers (24-11) to a 9-2 victory at Wake Forest (14-20) Tuesday night at Couch Ballpark.

Five Chants had two hits apiece including Kieton Rivers, Seth Lancaster, Kevin Woodall Jr., Keaton Weisz and Cameron Pearcey. Eardensohn, who has been CCU's top middle relief pitcher this season, pitched 4.1 innings and allowed just three hits and one run with three strikeouts.

Coastal used doubles by Pearcey and Rivers in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Lancaster followed a two-run, 395-foot blast to right field. Lancaster now has 11 home runs this season and it was his sixth round-tripper in the last eight games.

In the fifth, Coastal loaded the bases twice and would score five runs for an 8-0 cushion. Cory Wood was hit by a pitch, Rivers singled and Lancaster walked. Woodall plated Wood with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Zach Biermann followed with a two-run double. Pinch hitter Matt Beaird also doubled and Parker Chavers walked to load the bases once again. Weisz dumped a single into center to score both Biermann and Beaird, who just beat the throw to the plate.

Wake Forest broke through in the bottom of the fifth. Shane Muntz was hit by a pitch and Michael Ludowig singled. After a foul out, pinch hitter, Zach Seal lined an RBI double down the third base line to make the score 8-1. The Deacons would go on to load the bases, but Jay Causey induced an inning-ending double play to limit the damage.

The Chants regained an eight-run lead in the top of the seventh as Chavers doubled and scored on a Weisz single up the middle to give CCU a 9-1 lead.

Wake Forest took advantage of a CCU error in the ninth to provide the 9-2 final score. The Deacons put runners on second and third after the error and Chris Lanzilli had an RBI ground out.

Carter Back (0-3) suffered the loss as he allowed five hits and three runs with five strikeouts in three innings.

Coastal Carolina will continue its five-game road swing with three games at Troy this weekend. All three games are scheduled to be on ESPN3.