The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns took the opening game of a key Sun Belt Conference series against No. 20-ranked Coastal Carolina. The Ragin’ Cajuns defeated the Chanticleers 7-2 at M.L Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park on Thursday night.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Louisiana pushed a run across in the bottom of the first inning.
Blaze Rodriguez led off with a single to shallow center and then stole second base. A groundout by Noah Lewis moved Rodriguez over to third base, and then he scored on an infield groundout by Lee Amedee.
The Ragin’ Cajuns added to their lead in the bottom of the third.
Rodriguez led off with an infield single and then two batters later was joined on the base paths by Amedee, who drew a walk. Colt Brown then stepped in the batter’s box and singled to left field, scoring Rodriguez.
After a fielder’s choice by Drew Markle, two more runs were pushed across home plate as Donovan LaSalle laced a double down the right field line.
That was enough run support for starting pitcher Cody Brasch who held Coastal Carolina to one hit in the first five innings of Thursday’s game.
Matt Deggs’ squad pushed across another run in the bottom of the fifth as Lewis scored on a single by Amedee.
After Brasch was replaced by Parker Smith to start the seventh, Coastal Carolina got on the scoreboard. Walker Mitchell was hit by a pitch, and then Blake Barthol lifted a pitch over the right field wall for a two-run home run.
Louisiana plated a run in the bottom of the seventh on a bases-loaded walk, which made it 6-2 in favor of the Vermilion and White. The Ragin’ Cajuns added another run in the eighth as a single by Lewis drove in Rodriguez.
BIG NUMBER: 127
In the top of the third, Coastal Carolina added to its nation-leading total in one particular statistical category. Ty Barrango was hit by a pitch, and that was the 127th time a Chanticleer had been hit by a pitch this season, tops in the country.
PLAYERS OF THE GAME: BLAZE RODRIGUEZ & CODY BRASCH
From the leadoff spot, Rodriguez set the tone for the Ragin’ Cajuns as he went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and a walk. Brasch, meanwhile, kept the Chanticleers’ lineup frustrated, giving up no runs on one hit while striking out seven in six innings of work.
UP NEXT: Louisiana (33-20, 15-13 SBC) will take on Coastal Carolina (35-18, 20-8 SBC) on Saturday in the second game of the SBC series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.