The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team put the nation’s longest win streak on the line on Friday night when they hosted ULM for a weekend set. Louisiana got on the board first and never gave up their lead as they defeated the Warhawks 4-1.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Starting left handed pitcher Andrew Herrmann made quick work of the Warhawk batters as he got out of the inning in eight pitches and struck out Shawn Weatherbee on a full count.
After a three-up-three-down first inning for Louisiana, ULM’s Michelle Artzberger hit a single but injured himself on the way to first base and needed Ian Montz to pinch run. Montz advanced to second on a groundout bunt by Kade Dupont but got caught trying to steal third while Herrmann ended the inning with another strikeout.
Duncan Pastore got the first hit for the Cajuns with a single into center field but got tagged out trying to go to second base and Conor Higgs struck out swinging to end the second inning.
Louisiana got on the board at the bottom of the fourth. Maddox Mandino and Kyle DeBarge each hit a single, then Lee Amedee hit an RBI double down the first base line. DeBarge scored on a sac fly by Pastore to give the Cajuns the two-run advantage.
ULM responded at the top of the fifth as Kade Dupont was hit by a pitch and scored on a double that Jake Haggard hit down the infield line.
Jose Torres singled but got tagged out at second as Josh Alexander reached first on a fielder’s choice. Alexander then got to third base on a failed pick off by Warhawks starting pitcher Cam Barlow. Stelly’s fly out into center field brought home Alexander and gave the Cajuns the 3-1 lead.
Parker Seay came in to relieve Barlow at the bottom of the sixth and struck out Mandino and Pastore to end the inning.
LP Langevin came in for Herrmann with two outs in the seventh and got a groundout to send us to the seventh inning stretch. Herrmann ended the night with six strikeouts in six and two-thirds innings.
Louisiana extended their lead at the bottom of the frame. Higgs got things started with a double into left field and advanced to third on a groundout bunt by Torres. Stelly then hit an RBI single to make it a 4-1 game with two outs.
After Langevin struck out a couple more batters in the eighth, Zach Shaw appeared on the mound and retired Mandino and DeBarge. Amedee hit a single but got out a home after Trey LaFleur hit a double deep into right field.
Langevin forced a couple of fly outs and struck out Dupont to secure the 4-1 win for the Cajuns to improve their record to 22-8.
BIG NUMBER: 13
With Friday night’s win, the Cajuns extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 13 games after taking down the Warhawks of ULM.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Andrew Herrmann
Herrmann dealt in the Cajuns’ 4-1 win on Friday night as he retired six batters and gave up one run in six and two-thirds of work on the mound.
UP NEXT: Game two between the Ragin’ Cajuns and Warhawks will be tomorrow, Saturday, April 6th. The first pitch at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.