The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team opened their season with a 7-2 victory over the San Jose State Spartans on Friday night inside Russo Park. Solid pitching and some small ball helped Louisiana capture the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year and a Freshman All-American from a year ago, Chase Morgan got the opening night start for Louisiana. He started his season with three punch outs to retire the side.
He was opposed by veteran left-handed Jesse Gutierrez. Gutierrez worked around a one-out single and faced the minimum in a clean first inning of work.
Morgan was cruising until there were two outs in the top of the third. An infield hit, a stolen base, and a seeing-eye RBI single from Antonio Nanez but the Spartans on the board first with a 1-0 lead.
Louisiana would answer in the bottom of the third with some small ball. A couple of base runners reached, and then Sam Ardoin layed down a bunt. An error scored both runners, and the Cajuns took their first lead. Louisiana would lay down a squeeze bunt and score another run on a fielding error by the shortstop. By the end of the inning, UL had a 4-1 lead.
Chase Morgan’s night would end after five strong innings. The sophomore gave up one run and struck out seven.
In the bottom of the fifth, UL added to the lead with some more shaky defense from the Spartans. An RBI single my Maddox Mandino scored one, and Mandino later scored on a wild pitch. That made it 6-1 Louisiana.
A few zeroes were put up, but the Spartans got one back in the eighth. Jeriah Lewis launched a solo home run to make it 6-2.
Louisiana would add an insurance run when Mandino secured an RBI walk in the bottom of the eighth.
James Trimble worked the remainder of the game after Morgan’s departure. He went four innings, allowing only the solo home run. The Cajuns secured the opening night victory.
BIG NUMBER: 4
The Spartans allowed four unearned runs to be scored off of their starter Gutierrez. The Cajuns put pressure on the defense, and San Jose State was not up to the challenge on this night.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Chase Morgan
C-Mo was in command, tossing five innings of one-run ball. He struck out seven and only used 67 pitches to carve through the Spartan lineup.
UP NEXT: Game two between the Cajuns and Spartans will be tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 PM with the finale being Sunday morning at 11:00 AM.