Cajuns Baseball Hands McNeese First Loss At Home
LAKE CHARLES, La. – The 21st-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team got another stellar outing on the mound from freshman right-hander Jack Burk as the Cajuns handed McNeese their first loss of the season at home with a 3-1 victory Tuesday night at Joe Miller Ballpark.
The win moves the Ragin' Cajuns to 14-9 on the season, while the Cowboys (18-7) saw their 14-game win streak at home come to an end.
"Jack pitched to the system tonight, and when you can pitch to the system it's going to reward you," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "We came back and played well defensively for him after an error cost us a run. It was good to see our hitters come through with some big hits at the plate tonight. A lot of times all it takes is one big hit to get someone started at the plate. It was good to see Tyler (Stover) and Handsome (Monica) drive the ball out of the park. Our hitters are learning how to fight and how to have some throw down with you."
Burk (1-3) limited one of the best offenses in the nation to one unearned run on two hits to earn his first collegiate victory. The right-hander walked two and struck out two as he lowered his ERA to 2.08 with the outing.
Junior Evan Guillory was strong out of the bullpen retiring all six batters he faced with three strikeouts, while Dylan Moore notched his sixth save of the year with a scoreless ninth inning including two strikeouts.
Stater Aidan Anderson (2-2) took the loss for the Cowboys after surrendering two runs on four hits with three walks and six strikeouts in four innings of work.
The Cajuns outhit McNeese 5-2 led by catcher Handsome Monica who was 2-for-3 with a home run. Junior Steven Sensley increased his on-base streak in the game to 19 games with his double in the second inning.
Louisiana grabbed a 2-0 edge in the top of the second when right fielder Tyler Stover hammered a 2-0 pitch from Anderson over the scoreboard in left field for his first home run of the season. The Ragin' Cajuns looked to add to its total in the inning loading the bases with one out, but Anderson got two strikeouts to end the threat.
The Cowboys answered with an unearned run in the bottom half of the second as designated hitter Shane Selman singled and then moved to third on a throwing error by shortstop Hunter Kasuls. Selman scored on a ground ball hit to first by shortstop Will Fox to make the score 2-1. With one out and a runner on third, Burk kept the Ragin' Cajuns in front getting two fly outs to centerfield to get out of the jam.
After four scoreless innings, the Cajuns got an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a leadoff homer to left field by Monica to give Louisiana a 3-1 edge. The home run was the first of the year for Monica.
McNeese had just one runner reach second base in the final seven frames as the Cajuns defense turned two double plays in the contest.
The Ragin' Cajuns return to action tomorrow as the squad heads to Hammond, La. to complete the suspended game from Feb. 20 against Southeastern Louisiana before squaring off in the regularly scheduled contest. Action gets underway at 5 p.m. with the Lions at Alumni Field. Only tickets for the March 29 contest will be honored as the stadium will not be cleared between games.
All of the action against Southeastern Louisiana will be broadcast on Cox Sports Television (CST) and simulcast on ESPN3 with Lyn Rollins on play-by-play, Ronnie Rantz adding color and Jessica Province on the sidelines.
10th-Inning Double Pushes @AStateBaseball to Win at SIU
CARBONDALE, Ill. (3/28/17) – Jake Bakamus ripped a RBI double to right-center field in the top of the 10th inning and Tyler Zuber retired Southern Illinois in order in the bottom of the frame to help the Arkansas State baseball team snap a four-game losing streak in a 4-3 win at Itchy Jones Stadium in Carbondale, Ill., Tuesday.
Justin Felix led off the top of the 10th with a single through the left side as the Red Wolves (12-12) played in their first extra-inning contest of the season. Felix was bunted to second by Jeremy Brown to set up the run-scoring double by Bakamus. A-State couldn’t tack on any more runs in the inning, but one was enough for Zuber as he pitched a perfect bottom half, including striking out the final two batters, to clinch the win.
Zuber picked up the win for Arkansas State after he got all seven batters he faced out after coming in during the eighth inning. Bradey Welsh started for A-State and went a career-high six innings and didn’t allow an earned run. The Marshfield, Mo., native gave up three unearned runs and struck out a career-high eight while only walking two and giving up three hits.
Alex Howard continued his hot hitting with a 2-for-4 effort, while four different players for the Red Wolves had a RBI. Nick Hutchins was the hitting star for the Salukis (12-13) with a two-run triple as SIU only managed five hits to A-State’s seven. Austin McPheron took the loss despite only giving up one run in 3.2 innings on four hits with no walks and five punch outs.
The Salukis scored first in the game with three unearned runs in the bottom of the first. The first two batters reached on a passed ball on a strikeout and a fielder’s choice error to set up a two-run triple by Nick Hutchins after a strikeout. Hutchins later scored on a passed ball before Jake Hand lined into a double play to end the frame.
The Red Wolves were able to claw their way back into the game with one run in each of the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to tie it up 3-3. Howard drove home a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, while Garrett Rucker plated a run with his team-high fourth sacrifice fly in the fifth. Drew Tipton tied the game in the sixth with a line-drive RBI single to center field to score Brown.
Southern Illinois threatened in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out single by Greg Lambert off reliever Tanner Kirby. Lambert advanced to second on a wild pitch and the Red Wolves intentionally walked Hutchins before bring Zuber in. The White Hall, Ark., native induced a fly out to left field by Logan Blackfan to quell the SIU threat.
Arkansas State returns to action this weekend in conference play at Texas State March 31-April 2. First pitch on Friday night in San Marcos is set for 6 p.m.
Home Runs Push Eagle Baseball Past College of Charleston, 8-4
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - Three home runs in a seven run third inning helped Georgia Southern jump past College of Charleston, 8-4 on Tuesday night on the banks of the Cooper River. Jordan Wren, Tyler Martin and Mason McWhorter slugged long balls in the third while C.J. Brazil went 3-for-4 in the game. The Eagles host ULM this weekend for a three game series starting on Friday at 6:30 p.m. on Superhero Night
QUOTABLES
Head Coach Rodney Hennon
"It was a good win on the road. We got a lot of pitchers involved today, which I thought was good for our team. We had some big defensive plays early in the ballgame where we were able to get out of some jams. There was a play at the plate and the double play ball was big. Then we were fortunate to get a big inning in the third starting with a base hit bunt. We had a good approach and did a good job with situational hitting in that inning. It led to a big inning and that was good to see. Now it's important that we have a good couple days of practice before a big weekend against ULM."
SCORING PLAYS
Top 3rd - GS 7 - COFC 0 - Georgia Southern batted around in the third inning that featured a 36 minute rain delay. Jordan Wren hit a home run on the second pitch after the restart for his second of the year. After a Ryan Cleveland strikeout, Tyler Martin hit his second bomb of the year, followed by Mason McWhorter's solo job.
Bot 5th - GS 7 - COFC 2 - Charleston strung together four singles in the fifth inning to plate two runs and cut the lead to just five runs.
Bot 6th - GS 7 - COFC 4 - Two walks and a hit loaded the bases for Charleston in the sixth. One run scored via a wild pitch, with another coming home on a sacrifice fly.
Top 8th - GS 8 - COFC 4 - C.J. Brazil capped a 3-for-4 day with a single through the right side to score pinch runner C.J. Ballard from second.
GAME NOTES
- Georgia Southern's three home runs in the third inning was the first hat trick of home runs for the program in a single frame since April 19, 2015 against Little Rock. Aaron Mizell, Ryan Cleveland and Dalton Busby combined that day for the big frame.
- 393 days after suffering an arm injury against College of Charleston, Hunter Phillips made his return to game action on Tuesday night. The redshirt freshman pitched two thirds of an inning in his first official action since March 1, 2016.
- The Eagles out-hit the Cougars 14-12 behind Brazil's three hit day. Mitchell Golden, Tyler Martin and Evan McDonald each had two hit games on Tuesday night.
- Ryan Frederick was awarded the win, pitching an inning and two thirds of relief to get out of a jam in the third inning and a clean fourth. He struck out one to improve to 1-0 in relief of starting pitcher Adam Kelly who left after two and a third innings.
- Georgia Southern sent nine pitchers to the hill on Tuesday, scattering 12 hits. Zach Strickland stuck out all three batters he faced in the eighth inning on 12 pitches.
- Steven Curry went 1-for-5 on Tuesday, extending his team-best hit streak to 12 games.
- All nine Georgia Southern offensive starters tallied hits in the game, posting 14 total hits in the game. The Eagles tallied 33 total hits in both games against the College of Charleston.
NEXT UP
Georgia Southern returns home to open a three game series with ULM this weekend. First pitch on Friday night is set for 6:30 p.m. on Jack Stallings Field at J.I. Clements Stadium.