The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns were in control of the rubber game on Sunday afternoon headed into the ninth, but the wheels fell off resulting in a 6-5 loss to App State that was hard to swallow.
How It Happened:
After striking out the first batter he saw, Dalton Horton hit the next batter and walked the next two to load the bases with one out. Dalton Williams got the Mountaineers on the board with a sac fly, followed up by an RBI single from Phillip Cole to take an early 2-0 lead.
Things turned around for the Cajuns in the bottom of the third when two players were hit by a pitch. Todd Lott got the Cajuns on the board with a sac fly. Later in the inning, Handsome Monica connects with a two-out RBI single to tie things up.
The red-hot Hayden Cantrelle extended his impressive hit streak to 12 straight games with an RBI double out to left center field to give Louisiana the lead. Cantrelle was able to score off of a failed attempt to steal second by Brennan Breaux later in the inning to give them a two-run inning.
Kendall McGowan led off the sixth with a ground-rule double and is brought home by Dalton Williams, who hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 4-3. However, Orynn Veillon responded with his sixth home run of the season to lead off the bottom frame, making it 5-3.
The ninth inning was where things started to take a turn for the worse after a leadoff walk by Brandon Young. That was followed up by a questionable throw to second off of a sac bunt by Kole McKinnon. The bases were loaded after a throwing error by McKinnon. Luke Drumheller played hero with a two-run single through the left side to give the Mountaineers a 6-5 win.
Big Number: 7
The Cajuns pitching staff is usually stingy with free passes, but this was one of those days where they were handing them out like hot cakes, walking seven and hitting one batter. Especially early in the contest that proved to be a big reason why the Mountaineers are headed back to Boone, North Carolina with a series win.
Player of the Game: Luke Drumheller
Drumheller had a pretty good series for the Mountaineers, but Sunday was where he really shined going 2-of-4 with three RBIs in the win.
Next Up: Tuesday vs Tulane; First Pitch at 6:30 pm
-Clint Domingue