Coming off a tough loss to Louisiana Tech, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team stayed home for the weekend and prepared for a Sun Belt Conference series versus the Texas State Bobcats. The offense was nonexistent for both programs, and the first run wasn’t scored until the eighth when Carson Hepworth went yard. That was the difference in the ballgame as the Cajuns ran away with the 2-0 win, pushing their record back to .500 (16-16) and 7-3 in conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
It was an offensive struggle through the first three innings. Freshman infielder Owen Galt singled up the middle with one out at the bottom of the first. That was the only hit by either team until the fourth.
Texas State went three-up, three-down through the first three frames due to Cajuns starting pitcher Chase Morgan striking out four Bobcat batters, two in the first and the third. Morgan walked Rocco Garza-Gongora in the second, but that was answered by an Austin Eaton ground out double play to end the inning.
It wasn’t much better for Louisiana. Outside of that lone hit by Galt, the Cajuns couldn’t generate any hits over the next handful of innings. Bobcat starting pitcher Alex Valentin struck out three batters between the second and fourth innings and walked Caleb Stelly, who was caught trying to steal and was the final out of the fourth.
Morgan was in a pickle at the top of the fourth after loading the bases. Dawson Park singled after hitting the ball right to Walt, and Chase Mora walked to put a base runner in scoring position. Ian Collier reached on a fielder’s choice that got Park out at third, but Garza-Gongora walked to put three runners on the base paths. Eaton hit into a fly out, and Morgan escaped with no runs allowed.
Lee Amedee hit a double into left center field and over Garza-Gonogora’s head with one out and advanced to third on a ground. Amedee was left stranded after Brooks Wright struck out to end the fifth and keep the game scoreless.
The first pitching change came at the top of the eighth. Morgan walked to open the inning, and that was enough for coach Matt Deggs to pull the plug and go with right-handed relief pitcher Matthew Holzhammer. Morgan finished with two hits allowed and five strikeouts on a 102 pitch count. Justin Vossos, who walked to begin the frame, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Samson Pugh. Holzhammer stranded Vossos after ringing up Texas State leadoff hitter Ryne Farber and Park to send the game to the bottom of the inning.
Caset Artigues led off and pinch hit for Drew Markl. Artigues walked, and Kasen Bellard subbed in to run the bases. Brooks Wright popped up and out on a bunt attempt. That out was the last for Valentin, as he was taken out after the play for right-hander Matthew Tippie. Bellard advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Hepworth stepped up to the plate. With two outs, the junior outfielder hit his first home run of the season, a two-run jack 353 feet over the left field wall to give Louisiana the lead and the first runs of the game.
It came to the ninth inning, Texas State’s last chance to put runs on the scoreboard and either send it to extras or win the game on a walk-off. Holzhammer was having none of that as he struck out the final three batters he faced. That final inning performance on the mound for the senior pitcher secured the 2-0 for Louisiana, improving their record to 16-16 and 7-3 in Sun Belt conference play.
BIG NUMBER: 8
It took until the bottom of the eighth inning for everyone to witness the first and only runs of the game. Friday night was also the first time all season that the Cajuns won, scoring two or fewer runs.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Carson Hepworth
Leadoff hitter for the Vermilion and White, Carson Hepworth, was the savior for Louisiana. At the bottom of the eighth, with two outs, the junior centerfielder went yard on a two-run blast over the left field wall. That lone hit by Hepworth gave the Cajuns the 2-0 win and their 16th victory of the season.
UP NEXT: The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team will return tomorrow for game two of their weekend series versus the Texas State Bobcats. First pitch from ML “Tigue” Moore Field is set for 2:00 p.m.