The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns needed this one on Sunday afternoon. It was a back-and-forth contest between the Cajuns and Sam Houston State, but it was a strong finish in the later innings securing a 7-5 victory over the Bearkats.
How It Happened:
The Bearkats wasted little time getting on the board with Trent Touchet getting the Bearkats on the board with a two-out RBI single to the left side Christian Smith. The Cajuns tied things up in the bottom of the second when Tremaine Spears connected with an RBI double to left-center-field.
It was all about Touchet in the top of the third with a three-run inning all being caused by his efforts on offense. The Shreveport native started with another two-out RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. Touchet followed that up by stealing second and an error by Nick Hagedorn allowed Colton Cowser to score. Touchet gave Sam Houston State a 4-1 lead shortly after off of a wild pitch.
However, Gavin Bourgeois would tie things right back up with a three-run double to left field in the bottom of the fourth. Erick Davlia made it a 5-4 lead for the Bearkats in the sixth, laying down a sac bunt that scored Jackson Loftin. However, Louisiana took the lead for the first time in the bottom of the seventh with Connor Dupuy tying things up by scoring off of a wild pitch. It was followed up by a big RBI single from Julian Brock that scored Bourgeois and gave the Cajuns a 6-5 lead. Hayden Cantrelle sealed the deal for the Cajuns in the bottom half of the eighth, scoring off of an error.
Big Number: 15
The Bearkats bats, despite racking up five runs, didn’t get a whole lot of hits and struck out 15 times. Will Moriarty accounted for nine of those strikeouts in only three and a third of an inning of work.
Player of the Game: Gavin Bourgeois
Bourgeois only had one hit on the afternoon, but it was probably the most important hit in the early part of the Cajuns season being a three-run double. Considering the early season struggles this was an absolute win for the team
Next Up: Tuesday at Rice; First Pitch at 6:30 pm