The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team defeated Nicholls 13-3 on Tuesday night inside Russo Park. The victory marks the Cajuns’ 12th straight, which marks the longest streak in college baseball right now.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Louisiana sent right-hander Jack Martinez to the mound, who has been working his way back into a prominent role within the pitching staff. He worked a clean first inning, getting the Colonels in order.
Nicholls started with a right-hander as well, opting to use Haden Luke. Luke was economical in the first inning, retiring the Cajuns in order on just four pitches. His outing, however, would not last long. Conor Higgs delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the second to give Louisiana a 2-0 lead. A few batters later, Luke was removed from the game as the Colonels opted for a bullpen approach.
After Martinez worked around baserunners in the second, he gave up a one out double in the third. That runner then scored on a strange play where no one covered home on a groundout to the catcher. That made it 2-1, but the game was tied on an RBI double off the wall by Aaron Biediger.
The Cajuns answered back in the bottom of the third. After a couple of runners got on, Lee Amedee delivered an RBI single, followed by Duncan Pastore with an RBI double. Run-scoring groundouts provided the rest of the damage, and the Cajuns put up a five-spot to take a commanding 7-2 lead.
That lead was extended in the fourth inning, as again Louisiana put up a crooked number. Kyle Debarge started things off with a solo home run. Jose Torres had an RBI single. Then, Josh Alexander and John Taylor both had two-run triples. Louisiana took a 13-2 lead.
The Colonels would get one back in the sixth with David Christie on the mound. Christie stayed out there, and with the 10-run rule in effect, Louisiana held on for a 13-3 win.
BIG NUMBER: 13
The Cajuns’ offense provided 13 runs and swung the bats very well in this game. They have started to find themselves at the plate, and it has helped them in this winning streak.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Duncan Pastore
Pastore went 4-4 in this game. He also added two doubles and an RBI. He has become a reliable fixture in Matt Deggs’ lineup of late, and tonight was no different.
UP NEXT: Louisiana will stay home for a three-game set against in-state rival ULM beginning on Friday night at Russo Park.