After having the nation’s longest winning streak snapped in Wednesday night’s loss to Louisiana Tech, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team stayed home for a weekend series versus Marshall. Home runs in the fourth by Matt Deggs’ team was just enough as the Cajuns held on to defeat Marshall 3-1 and improve to 26-9 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Andrew Herrmann got the start for the Cajuns on Friday night while Drew Harlow got the call for Marshall. Neither team was able to generate much offense early on.
Gio Ferraro walked in the first but was picked off to end the inning for the Thundering and Trey LaFleur also walked, then stole second but a flyout by Kyle DeBarge and a groundout from Lee Amedee kept us scoreless early on.
Conor Higgs had the first hit of the game with a double off the warning track in right-center field but was left stranded due to a couple of grounders to first and third base.
Herrmann gave his first hit in the fourth when leadoff man for Marshall Cam Harthan singled down the infield line but Owen Ayers grounded into a double play and then Ferraro struck out for the third out.
A pair of solo home runs at the bottom of the fourth for Louisiana broke the silence and gave the Cajuns their first lead of the game. Amedee was first with a shot toward the scoreboard in left center field. Then, after Duncan Pastore struck out, Higgs put the Cajuns up by two with a homer over the right center wall.
In the sixth, Marshall’s Harthan hit a single with two outs and advanced to third on a single by Ayers but the catcher for the Thundering Herd was tagged out trying to get to second to send us to the bottom of the frame.
LaFleur opened the sixth with a single then DeBarge and Amedee struck out. Pastore walked and Higgs made it to first to load the bases after the ball had a lucky bounce off the third base bag. Jose Torres however stranded all three runners after going down swinging.
Herrmann’s night came to an end in the seventh after giving up a solo homer to Ferraro and allowed a double to Tre Hondras. The junior left handed pitcher’s final stats were five strikeouts and five hits allowed, including the bomb by the senior shortstop in six and third innings. LP Langevin came in and walked AJ Havrilla and Jack Firestone to load the bases but then retired Calin Smith and Jake Sparks to send the game to the seventh inning stretch. The Cajuns were up 2-1.
Louisiana extended their lead at the bottom of the seventh. Caleb Stelley doubled into left field and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Stelley then got home on a sacrifice bunt by John Taylor to make it a two-run game. During that inning, Marshall brought in Peyton Schofield to relieve Harlow of his duties.
Langevin handled business the rest of the way, retiring Marshall’s batters in the eighth and the ninth to help secure the 3-1 win over the Thundering Herd and improve to 26-9 and 12-1 in Sun Belt play.
BIG NUMBER: 2
A couple of moon shots by Cajuns batters Lee Amedee and Conor Higgs in the fourth was the difference maker for Louisiana as they took game one over the Thundering Herd on Friday night.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Conor Higgs
Higgs was seeing the ball well as he almost went for the cycle, hitting a double in the second, a home run in the fourth, and a single in the sixth as the Cajuns came out on top 3-1 over Marshall.
UP NEXT: Game two between the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns and Marshall Thundering Herd baseball teams will be on Saturday, April 13th. First pitch at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field is set for 2:00 p.m.