The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (20-17, 8-7 Sun Belt) sure seemed to enjoy the mountain air in Boone, North Carolina. After coming away with a 4-3 win on Friday night, they were able to complete the sweep of Appalachian State (8-26, 1-12 Sun Belt) on Saturday afternoon.
How It Happened
Game one of the doubleheader saw the Cajuns come out of the gates strong with Kole McKinnon hitting a two-run double out to left field in the top of the second. Daniel Lahare followed that up with a two-run double of his own to make it 4-0.
Lahare got Louisiana up 5-0 in the top of the fourth with an RBI single to right field, scoring McKinnon. However, the Mountaineers weren’t going to go quietly in the first game of the afternoon, putting up three runs in the eighth, highlighted by a two-run single through the left side by CJ Brown.
Things got even dicier when Jason Avers hit an RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to make it 5-4. It wasn’t enough though as Beau Myers struck out to end the ballgame. Jack Burk improved to 3-4 on the season, allowing three runs off of five hits, striking out five in seven innings of work. Nick Lee got his second save of the season in the ninth, allowing one hit and striking out two in the ninth.
It was more of the same in game two with the Cajuns getting two runs across in the top of the first highlighted by an RBI single through the right side by Kennon Fontenot. Things got out of hand in the second when Daniel Lahare and Gavin Bourgeois both went yard, making it 5-0 in the blink of an eye.
Kole McKinnon put the game on ice in the bottom of the eighth with a solo shot of his own, making it 6-0. App State’s Drew Beck tried to get a rally going in the eighth with a two-run single, but it was too little too late for the Mountaineers.
Hogan Harris improved to 2-1 on the year throwing seven shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out four on the afternoon.
Big Number: 12
The Cajuns offense continues to get better by the week. Hitting is contagious and everyone caught the bug in series finale, putting together 12 hits, including three home runs.
Player of the Game: Daniel Lahare
Daniel Lahare is feeling pretty good after his offensive outburst on Saturday. The outfielder went 4-of-9 in the doubleheader, getting five of the Cajuns 11 runs across. That kind of performance could result in him getting consideration for Player of the Week honors
Next Up: Host Louisiana Tech; First Pitch 6 pm
-Clint Domingue