After dropping the first two games to the Camels, Louisiana returned to Russo Park to try to salvage one game from Campbell. After 22 hits and 21 runs in the game, Louisiana erupted for 14 of those runs to win the series finale 14-7.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Carson Roccaforte put Louisiana on the board in the first inning following a walk issued to Max Marusak. Roccaforte drove an RBI triple deep into the right-field wall to score Marusak and put the Cajuns up 1-0.
Heath Hood stepped up next with a single to center field to score Roccaforte and increase the lead to 2-0. Later in the inning, Lee Amedee stepped in for just his ninth at-bat of the season and got a base hit through the middle of the infield to score Hood and increase the lead to 3-0.
However, Louisiana was not done in the opening frame, as freshman John Taylor got a base hit through the middle as well to score Brock to push the Cajun lead out to 4-0 early.
Marusak stepped up to the plate for the second time in the first inning and unloaded the bases with a grand slam over the left field billboard to make it 8-0 Louisiana.
In the fifth inning, Campbell claimed back into the game with a two-run home run from Bryce Arnold to make it 8-2 in favor of the Cajuns, but Louisiana got the two runs right back when Luke Yuhasz hit a two-run home run to left field to push the lead back to eight at 10-2.
Following a Jarrod Belbin double to the right-field corner, Drake Pierson launched a double to center field to score Belbin and make the score 10-3. Drew Winters came up and got an RBI double to score another Campbell run and make it 10-4. Logan Jordan grounded out to score Tyler Halstead, which was followed up by a Lawson Harrill base hit up the middle to score Winters and the lead was trimmed to 10-6.
Later in the inning, Trenton Harris hit an RBI single into right field to score Arnold and it suddenly became a 10-7 game between the Cajuns and Camels with two on and two outs.
A bunt single from Marusak and a double from Roccaforte got the bottom of the sixth started for the Cajuns, followed by a Heath Hood sacrifice groundout to score Marusak and extended the lead to 11-7. Roccaforte would come into score after a bases-loaded RBI single from Kyle DeBarge made it 12-7 in favor of Louisiana.
The Cajuns weren’t done scoring in the sixth, however, as John Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to left field scored Zambo to make it 13-7 with two outs.
The top of the seventh inning featured back-to-back web gems from Carson Roccaforte that recorded the final two outs, diving for the first one in center field and the second catch being made at the wall to end the frame.
After a single and back-to-back stolen bases by Hood, Louisiana had a runner on third with only one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. DeBarge came up later in the inning with a sacrifice fly to center field, but it was enough to score Hood to make it 14-7 Louisiana at the end of eight innings.
Blake Marshall was able to retire the side in order to get the 14-7 win over Campbell in the series finale.
BIG NUMBER: 22
22 base hits combined by both teams created 21 runs, which made for a fiery series finale between Louisiana and Campbell.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Max Marusak/Carson Roccaforte
The duo that has been huge for the Cajuns the last season and some came up big again today, with Marusak getting four RBIs on two hits and two walks, while Roccaforte drove in a run and had two huge web gems in centerfield.
UP NEXT: Louisiana will return to M.L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park Wednesday night to host McNeese in a midweek contest. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.