Saturday, May 10
Ragin' Cajuns Defeat South Alabama in Game One, Claim Regular Season Title and Tournament Top Seed
MOBILE, Ala. – The third-ranked UL Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns baseball team defeated South Alabama 5-2 in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday at Stanky Field to claim the 2014 Sun Belt Conference regular season championship.
The SBC regular season title is the fifth in program history and first since 2010. The Cajuns also won regular season championships in 1997, 2005 and 2007 and were division champs in 1992 and 1994.
The win improves UL Lafayette to 44-7 on the season and 21-4 in conference play and gives the squad the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, which will be hosted from May 21-25 in Mobile. The Ragin' Cajuns continue to hold the best road record in the nation at 20-2. South Alabama falls to 21-27 on the year and 10-14 in league action.
Junior Austin Robichaux picked up the victory to go to 7-2 on the year holding the Jaguars to two unearned runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and two walks.
Ryan Wilson, who started the game in right field, came on in relief in the eighth to get a six-out save throwing two scoreless innings. Wilson recorded his sixth save of the year in the outing, which ties Reagan Bazar for the team lead.
USA starter Locke St. John was tabbed with his second loss of the season after surrendering five runs (four earned) on eight hits in seven innings.
Blake Trahan, Caleb Adams and Jace Conrad each had two hits in the contest as UL Lafayette registered eight hits. Ryan Leonards had a game-high two RBI.
The Cajuns went in front 1-0 in the top of the second as Adams scored on a wild pitch by St. John. Adams doubled to lead off the inning and then moved to third on a bunt single by Conrad.
South Alabama grabbed a 2-1 lead in the on a bases-loaded two-run single up the middle by Andrew Tindell.
UL Lafayette regained the lead in the top of the third. After a Trahan double led off the inning, Leonards singled up the middle to score Trahan to tie the game. Later in the inning, Adams doubled to right center to score Leonards and give the Ragin' Cajuns a 3-2 edge.
In the top of the fourth, Trahan singled in Michael Strentz to give the Cajuns a 4-2 advantage. Leonards brought home the final run of the contest on a sac fly to right center.
Davis Propels Cajuns to Win in Nightcap Against South Alabama
MOBILE, Ala. – Junior Greg Davis' RBI single in the ninth lifted the third-ranked UL Lafayette baseball team to an 8-7 victory over South Alabama in the nightcap of a twinbill on Saturday at Stanky Field.
With runners on first and third and two outs, Davis drove a single into right field to score Seth Harrison and give the Cajuns (45-7, 22-4 Sun Belt) their 14 consecutive weekend series victory. The 45 wins in the regular season ties the 2005 team for the second most in program history.
Davis had five RBI in the game going 3-for-4 at the plate with a grand slam and scored a pair of runs. Jace Conrad also went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and scored two runs.
"We almost let the game get away from us, but we got a timely hit from Greg Davis and we were able to get a sweep of a doubleheader which isn't an easy thing to do," head coach Tony Robichaux said.
Freshman Reagan Bazar earned his fourth victory of the season throwing 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the contest. Bazar scattered three hits and posted a strikeout in the outing.
"It was really big to have a freshman come out and get a win under that kind of pressure at South Alabama," Robichaux added. "He didn't give them anything and let his defense play behind him."
Reliever James Traylor was saddled with the loss giving up the run in the ninth after throwing 3.2 scoreless innings.
The Cajuns carried a seven run lead into the seventh inning before the Jaguars (21-28, 10-15 Sun Belt) plated seven runs on five singles and three walks. UL Lafayette used three pitchers in the inning before Drew LaBounty singled in the tying run with two outs.
UL Lafayette jumped out to a 4-0 edge in the top of the second as Davis sent a 1-2 pitch over the fence in left with the bases loaded for his first career home run.
Kyle Clement added to the Ragin' Cajuns lead in the top of the fourth doubling into the gap in left center to score Davis from first with one out.
In the next inning, Conrad drove his seventh home run over the fence in right field to increase the Cajuns advantage to 7-0.
UL Lafayette improves its road record to 21-2 on the year, which continues to lead the nation.
Junior Carson Baranik had another quality start holding the Jaguars to two runs in six innings with four strikeouts in a no decision.
The Ragin' Cajuns go for the series sweep tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the series finale against South Alabama. Cody Boutte will make the start with a 6-0 record and a 2.62 ERA.
Texas State Bounces Back to Take Game Two from UALR
SAN MARCOS – Texas State rebounded from a series-opening loss with a 6-2 victory Saturday that was never in doubt. Taylor Black led the Bobcats with seven impressive innings on the mound while Ben McElroy starred at the plate.
Black struck eight out and only allowed two runs to earn his sixth win of the season and lower his season ERA to just 3.00. Meanwhile, McElroy was 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored on the day. Five other Bobcats tallied a hit in the game.
Texas State used a good eye in the bottom of the first to get on the scoreboard for the first time in the series. The Bobcats drew three walks and had a hit by pitch, accounting for all four base runners in the inning. With the bases loaded, Colby Targun worked the count for the third walk of the inning, bringing home Cory Geisler. Tyler Pearson followed with a six-pitch walk allowing McElroy to come home and give Texas State an early 2-0 lead.
The offense continued its onslaught into the second inning, forcing the Trojans to replace UALR starter Sam Thoele after just 1.2 innings. With two outs the Bobcats had runners on first and second and Granger Studdard welcomed Trojan reliever Cory Malcom to the game with a double down the left line to score two runs. Austin O'Neal then hit a single up the middle to make it 5-0 in favor of Texas State after two.
An infield single helped UALR get on the board in the top of the fourth. Tanner Rockwell hit a rocket to right center with two runners on for his first double of the game, plating both Trojans for two runs.
The Bobcats final run came in the sixth when McElroy doubled down the left line to score Trey Hicks from second, giving the team its final margin of 6-2.
Lucas Humpal takes the mound for the final game of the series at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Bobcats will recognized the team's 2014 seniors before the game.
Warhawks Force Decisive Game Three with 10-6 win over Georgia State
MONROE, La. -- ULM used a pair of four-run frames late in Saturday night’s contest to claim a 10-6 win over Georgia State at Warhawk Field and even the series at one game a piece.
Georgia State, like it did on Friday night, scored the first runs of the game. In the second, the Panthers plated a pair of runs and in the third the visitors pushed their lead to 3-0. Two of Georgia State’s first three runs in the game were earned.
The Warhawks got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Anthony Herrera scored on a wild pitch and Kodie Tidwell came in to score on a RBI single by Justin Stawychny.
In the sixth, the Panthers pushed their lead to 5-2 on a two-run homer by Matt Rose and that ended the day for starter Alex Hermeling. Chad Miller made his way to the hill and struck out all three batters he faced as he ended the threat.
In the home half of the sixth, the Warhawks took their first lead of the series as they plated four runs to take a 6-5 lead. Jeff Fuller and Tidwell each drove in a pair of runs with singles to give ULM the one-run lead.
After the Panthers tied the game in the eighth on a solo homer, Alex Dumaine became the fourth pitcher of the night and he struckout a pair and forced a 6-3 groundout to keep the game tied.
The Warhawks took the lead for good in the eighth as they plated four runs highlighted by Justin Stawychny’s two-RBI triple to right field .
Dumaine earned the win for the Warhawks as he retired all three batters he faced and he improved to 2-4 on the season. Reliever Tyler Bray closed out the game as he tossed a perfect ninth inning.
Georgia State reliever Jerry Stuckey (3-5) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on five hits and two walks in two innings of work.
The Warhawks will host the Panthers in the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. Prior to the contest ULM will honor its group of 10 seniors before they play their final home game at Warhawk Field.
Mavericks Clinch Series with 8-5 Win over WKU
ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington nailed down another Sun Belt Conference series win with Saturday afternoon's 8-5 victory over WKU at Clay Gould Ballpark.
The Mavericks (26-25, 15-11) jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the first inning and never looked back in winning for the 10th time in the last 12 games. UTA, currently fourth in the Sun Belt, is also guaranteed a spot in the eight-team Sun Belt Conference Championship beginning May 21 in Mobile, Alabama.
The Mavericks have won the first two games of the series, which ends Sunday with a 1 p.m. scheduled first pitch. UTA has won six of its last seven SBC series. The Hilltoppers dropped to 27-24 and 13-13.
UT Arlington pounded out 12 hits, including two home runs to push the team's season total to 41. Brad Vachon (4-5) earned the win for the Mavericks after give up four runs (three earned) in five innings. Chase Weaver worked three scoreless innings and Chad Nack pitched the ninth.
The Hilltoppers scored once in the first off Vachon, but the Mavericks came right back in the bottom of the inning with five runs on four hits off WKU starter Josh Bartley.
Derek Miller walked to lead off the inning and advanced to third on Ryan Bottger's double to right center. WKU tried to cut down Miller at home after Matt Shortall's grounder to first, but Hilltoppers catcher Ty Downing couldn't hold on to the throw.
John Michael Twichell, Levi Scott and Eric Tate also had run-scoring hits, along with a sacrifice fly from Darien McLemore. The Mavericks batted around in the inning.
Twichell hit his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to right in the third, to put the Mavericks up four runs again. Bottger's two-run blast in the fourth – his second homer of the series – pushed the advantage to 8-2.
A-State Splits Doubleheader with Troy
JONESBORO, Ark. (5/10/14) – The Arkansas State baseball team rallied from a four-run deficit to take the nightcap in a 10-7 victory over Troy to split a doubleheader Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium.
The Red Wolves (28-22, 16-10 Sun Belt Conference) dropped the first game 2-1, but bounced back to score 10 runs on 10 hits in game two to split the day with the Trojans (22-28, 9-16).
A-State trailed 4-0 in the nightcap before rallying for six runs in back-to-back innings. Eric Wilcoxson and Zach Maggio drove in runs in the third inning to cut the deficit in half.
Stuart Levy collected his third double of the day in the home half of the fourth that scored Austin Baker and Lucas Feddersen followed with an infield single that scored Matt Burgess to tie the game. Joe Schrimpf gave the Red Wolves their first lead of the day with a two-run single up the middle to give A-State its first lead of the game at 6-4.
Ali Knowles countered with a two-RBI single in the fifth for Troy, but Burgess gave A-State the lead back in the bottom half with an RBI groundout.
Troy tied the game again in the sixth on sacrifice fly, but Ty Michelotti scored from second base on an infield single by Dustin Jones to put the Red Wolves up a run. Michelotti was hustling the entire way and rounded third as the Trojans’ defense attempted to throw out Jones and scored easily on the play.
Zach Maggio padded the lead with a two-run single in the eighth inning. The senior co-captain finished the day with three hits, two RBIs and scored a run on the afternoon.
Morgan Croft (2-1)entered the game in relief in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and gave up just one run in four innings of work. He gave an RBI single in the fifth to the first batter he faced, but battled back and got out of the inning with a double play. Tyler Zuber worked a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season.
In the day’s first game, A-State took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Lucas Feddersen, but the Trojans responded with two runs in the fifth and held on late to take the first game of the series.
David Owen (5-5) turned in a quality start and gave up just two runs on six hits in six innings of work. Cody Woodhouse and Colton Kibler combined for three scoreless of relief in the loss.
Levy doubled twice in the loss and added another in the nightcap to finish with three doubles on the day and he also scored twice. Feddersen and Schrimpf had two RBIs each on the day.