After finishing up the final couple of innings of game one, where the Cajuns won 9-5, the Louisiana Baseball team came right back an hour later in game two against the Houston Cougars. The Cajuns made too many silly mistakes and are now back to .500 on the season, losing 8-4.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Houston took the early 1-0 lead after Ragin’ Cajuns Catcher Julian Brock was called for a balk on two separate occasions that gave the Cougars the unearned run at the top of the first inning.
At the bottom of the second, with two outs, Louisiana’s Jonathan Brandon got a triple down left field that brought in Connor Kimple to tie the game. Brandon would score the next play with a double down left center by Brock to give the Cajuns the 2-1 advantage.
After a scoreless third inning, Alex Lopez evened up the contest with a solo home run over the right field wall at the top of the fourth. Anthony Tulimero was stranded on base with Cameron Nickens was grounded out at first base.
The Ragin’ Cajuns Warnner Rincones made sure his squad didn’t leave the inning empty handed as he got the sacrifice fly out to help Connor Kimple get back to home base before the fourth came to an end.
At the top of the fifth, the Houston Cougars got the bases loaded quickly with their first three batters and scored five runs in the inning. Samuel Tormos, Ian McMillan, Brandon Burckel, and Brandon Ushe made it base to home with Ushe, Zach Arnold, Lopez, and Tulimero all recording an RBI.
The Cajuns, at the bottom of the fifth could only muster up one run to cut down their deficit to two after Kimple got Roccaforte home with the RBI single.
Houston pushed the score to 7-4 courtesy of Ushe recording another RBI to help McMillan score on the play.
After scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth for both teams, Arnold, at the top of the ninth extended the Cougars lead to four after Louisiana’s Heath Hood had an error that got Arnold to third initially. Ryan Hernandez took the fly out at center field to bring Arnold home.
The Cajuns couldn’t come up with a comeback and fall 8-4 in game two and are now 7-7 on the season.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Connor Kimple
Kimple was one of the few bright spots for the Cajuns as the was 2/3 batting on the day as he scored half of the team’s runs and got an RBI.
BIG NUMBER: 2
The Houston Cougars Baseball team recorded seven total RBI’s in their 8-4 win on Saturday over Louisiana.
UP NEXT: The Ragin’ Cajuns (7-7) will play Game 3 versus Houston (10-5)Sunday with first pitch at 1 p.m.