Leger Outduels Cunningham As Cajuns Shutout Chanticleers
CONWAY, S.C. – Junior left-hander Gunner Leger outdueled right-hander Alex Cunninham Friday night as the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team shutout No. 26 Coastal Carolina 1-0 in the series opener at Springs Brooks Stadium.

"This is what a regional or super regional really looks like," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "Both arms are really good, and you have to match them with pitching and defense and that's what we did. Tonight was the epitome of pitching, defense and timely hitting. If Gunner doesn't do what he does, then the home run we got doesn't stand up."

Leger improved to 6-1 on the year limiting the Chanticleers to two singles in seven shutout innings. The Lake Charles, La., native allowed just two CCU baserunners to reach second base in the game striking out two and walking two in his sixth quality start of the year. Leger has now combined to post four shutouts this season.

"You can't give enough credit to Gunner," Robichaux said. "He comes out every night knowing he's going to face another arm with a two ERA. He's been the model of consistency for us and gives us a chance to win every time he takes the mound."

Wyatt Marks and Dylan Moore each tossed a perfect inning to complete the Cajuns sixth shutout of the year. Moore notched his seventh save in the appearance to move into a tie for the Sun belt lead with Marc Skinner of Troy.

Cunningham (4-1) was handed his first loss of the season despite allowing just one run on three hits in eight innings. The righty struck out 11 with one walk in the outing.

The Cajuns outhit the Chants 4-2 in the game with two of the four hits going for extra bases.

Left fielder Kennon Fontenot provided the only run of the game in the top of the second driving a 0-1 pitch from Cunningham over the fence in right field for a two-out, solo home run. The homer was the second of the year for Fontenot.

The Ragin' Cajuns threatened in the top of the third as catcher Handsome Monica reached third base with one out, but Cunningham got Brenn Conrad to pop into a fielder's choice and then struck out Joe Robbins to end the inning.

The Cajuns also had scoring chances in the sixth and ninth innings but came up empty both times.

The Louisiana pitching staff was stingy after the first two innings as Coastal Carolina had just three runners reach base in the final seven frames and didn't have a runner advance past first base.

Louisiana looks to extend its series win streak to 16 straight tomorrow in game two of the series with a 1 p.m. CT first pitch. Right-hander Nick Lee (4-3, 4.93 ERA) makes the start for the Cajuns, while the Chanticleers will start right-hander Jason Bilous (3-0, 4.72). Fans can listen to the contest on News Talk 96.5 KPEL-FM with Jay Walker and Jeff Schneider on the call.

"We've got to be prepared tomorrow," Robichaux said. "They are going to come out ready to play, and we are going to need to score some runs and have Nick stand up and do what he's capable of."

UTA Offense Explodes, Simmons Shines In Opening Win
UTA got a season-high 18 runs on 18 hits and a strong start from Kadon Simmons, leading the Mavs to an 18-1 win over Appalachian State in the series opener on Friday, on a brutally cold and windy Friday night at Beaver Field at Smith Stadium.

UTA (15-16, 6-4 Sun Belt Conference) set season highs in runs and hits in an offensive explosion on a wind-blown evening. The Mavs got five run innings in the second and fourth, adding a four-run second and single runs in the seventh and eighth.

ON THE MOUND
A native of Cut & Shoot, Texas, Simmons (4-2) won his 13th career game, coming in rugged wind conditions that saw the Mavs plate nine runs in the first two innings. Simmons worked seven innings, allowing six hits and one run, not issuing a walk and striking out four. It marked the fifth quality start of the year for Simmons and the 13th of his career. He has worked into at least the seventh inning in 17 of 23 career starts and in 12 of his last 15 starts.

Jud Kinzy took over to start the eighth inning, working a shutout inning and Logan Austin pitched the ninth.

Appalachian State junior right-handed starter Travis Holden (1-5) worked 3.1 innings, allowing 12 hits and 11 runs, walking one and striking out three. Appalachian State also used Dallas DeVrieze, Thomas Young and Seth Hardin in relief.

AT THE DISH
UTA got hits from each starter in the lineup, with Phil Berthiaume also adding a two-run homer and Zac Cook a single off the bench. Aaron Funk and Noah Vaughan each had three-hit games and Will Olson cranked his second homer of the week and year, driving in a career high five. RJ Williams and Christian each had two hits, with Easton Johnson, Omar Salinas, Quintin Rohrbaugh and Brady Cox each adding knocks.

HOW THEY SCORED
The Mavs opened the scoring in the top of the first inning, plating five runs on six hits. Williams led off with a double to left-centerfield and Salinas reached on a wind-blown base hit into shallow left-centerfield. Rohrbaugh then drew a full-count walk and Olson followed with a two-run single up the middle. Cox forced in Rohrbaugh with a ground-ball double play and Vaughan followed with an infield single. Hollie then drove in Vaughan with a double down the rightfield line. Funk then tripled to left-centerfield, scoring Vaughan.

In the top of the second, UTA got Williams and Salinas on courtesy of a pair of fielding errors. Rohrbaugh then singled up the middle to score Williams. Olson followed with a three-run homer to centerfield, giving UTA a 9-0 lead.

Appalachian State got on the board in the second, with Drake Zupcic doubling to leadoff, scoring on Conner Leonard's RBI single.

UTA added five runs on five hits in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 14-1 lead. Cox reached one a one-out single, scoring on Vaughan's triple to deep centerfield. Hollie then scored Vaughan with a RBI single to leftfield and Funk reached on a fielding error. The duo then scored on Johnson's double, painted down the rightfield line. Williams singled to leftfield to score Johnson.

In the seventh inning, Cox reached on a dropped third strike, scoring on Funk's sac fly.

Berthiaume got the Mavs a two-run homer in the eighth inning.

In the ninth inning, Cook singled home Vaughan, who had reached on an error to open the frame.

NEXT
The series will resume on Saturday at 1 p.m. CT at Smith Stadium. The Mavs will start junior righty Trae Patterson (2-0, 2.74 ERA).

Reich, Hoffman help Texas State move past Trojans
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Texas State baseball team kicked off a weekend Sun Belt Conference series with a 7-3 victory Friday night over Little Rock at Gary Hogan Field.

The Bobcats (20-11, 7-3 SBC) needed just five hits to snap a three-game losing skid to the Trojans, who dropped to 10-20 overall and 3-7 in the league.

TXST initially used a three-run home run from junior Theodore Hoffman to take an early advantage, and the visitors tacked on one in the fourth and three more in the sixth to earn the series-opening triumph.

LR could only counter punch with one in the bottom of the first and two more in the fifth.

Sophomore starting pitcher Connor Reich (2-2) threw 7.0 innings to collect his second victory of the season. He conceded just three runs on seven hits, while striking out three and walking three. Sophomore Brayden Theriot logged the final two frames and did not give up a hit.

Hoffman finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and one run scored. Junior Luke Sherley scored twice in the winning effort, and classmate Jared Huber used one swing of the bat in the sixth to drive in two runs.

LR starter Cory Malcom (2-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up a season-high seven runs on five hits in just 5.1 frames. He entered the game as one of just three pitchers in the Sun Belt to post a sub-2.00 ERA (1.93) so far this year, but his new ERA ballooned to 2.60 after being lit up by the Bobcats. He also allowed his first home run of the season and a career-high six walks.

Hunter Owens and Danny Mitchell, Jr. both went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored each. They were the only members of the home team with multiple hits. Cale Ridling scored LR's only other run.

The Bobcats and Trojans are set to continue their series at 2 p.m. April 8. Texas State needs one win in the final two games of the weekend to clinch the school's first series victory over Little Rock.

Early Runs Push Eagles Past Troy, 5-3
TROY, ALA. - A four run first inning set the table for a 5-3 Georgia Southern Baseball win over Troy on Friday evening. The Eagles out-hit Troy 8-4 on Friday night to improve to 19-11 on the year and 6-4 in Sun Belt play. The Eagles and Trojans play game two of the series on Saturday at 4 p.m. (ET).

QUOTABLES
Head Coach Rodney Hennon
"We got off to a good start there in the first. Steven Curry had a double right out of the gate and we got a two out double from C.J. Brazil to extend the lead. Jacob Condra-Bogan gave us a good effort, and I thought Anthony Paesano got some big outs in a critical point in the game where they had the opportunity to tie it up and maybe take the lead. Then Landon Hughes made some big pitches to close it out. We were fortunate to finish it off and get the win tonight, but we've got to bring the intensity again tomorrow night. "

SCORING PLAYS
Top 1st - GS 4 - TROY 0 - Steven Curry's leadoff double sparked a four run first inning. Mason McWhorter drove in Curry from second with a single through the left side. Later in the inning with two outs, C.J. Brazil doubled to "Doubles Alley" in left, plating three runs to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead.
Top 4th - GS 5 - TROY 0 - The Eagles got another run in the fourth thanks to a Troy error. Logan Baldwin reached on a throwing error by the second baseman and advanced on an infield ground out. C.J. Ballard singled with a chopper to third which he legged out. Baldwin didn't quit on the play and rounded third, beating the tag by a whisker to push the lead to 5-0.
Bot 4th - GS 5 - TROY 1 - Troy got its first hit in the fourth, torching a solo home run to left off the bat of Trevor Davis.
Bot 7th - GS 5 - TROY 3 - As Jacob Condra-Bogan labored in the seventh, the graduate student hit a batter and walked another to put two aboard. He was removed for Connor Simmons who walked two batters on nine pitches to load the bases and score a run. After Anthony Paesano came in, a sacrifice fly plated the Trojans' third run of the day. Paesano got out of the jam, keeping the Eagles up by two.

GAME NOTES
- Steven Curry extended his team-best hit streak to 17-straight games with the leadoff double to open the game. He went 1-for-5 on the day, scoring a run.
- Jacob Condra-Bogan posted his second-straight quality start, going 6.0 innings and allowing three runs off four hits. He struck out four and walked four, taking a no-hitter through 3.1 innings.
- Anthony Paesano matched a season-long by working two innings out of the bullpen. He did not allow a hit in his outing.
- Landon Hughes worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save of the season, matching his total from 2016.

NEXT UP
Georgia Southern and Troy tangle again on Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. (ET). The contest can be seen live on ESPN3 with radio coverage on the Georgia Southern Sports Network.