After losing game two to the Eagles, Louisiana got their revenge and secured their second Sun Belt series with a 5-1 win over Georgia Southern on Sunday to improve to 14-13 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
A very defensive battle to start the first few innings of the game. Jesse Sherrill for Georgia Southern was walked on the initial at-bat. Christian Avant was the first base hit of Sunday’s contest, but he was out at second base to end the top of the inning. Tyler Robertson doubled to left field with one out for Louisiana, but the Eagles got a double play to close out the first.
It was three-up-three-down at the top of the second as Jarrett Brown got out on a pop fly, followed by a couple of ground outs. Louisiana did more of the same as no one got on base, including Carson Roccaforte getting struck out, while Will Veillon’s fly ball was caught and Connor Kimple’s grounder finishing off the second inning.
Parker Biederer doubled on a high-fly ball inside of the infield third base line. Then, Sherrill had a one hopper to the shortstop that put him on first base and Biederer on third. The Cajuns survived the threat and escaped the top of the third without a run given up.
Louisiana’s Julian Brock had a nice double down left center field. Warner Rincones had the sacrifice out to advance to third base, but Marusak hit it right to the third baseman for the final out.
Avant, in the fourth, hit a double down the first base line and advanced to third because of Brown’s sacrifice, but the Ragin’ Cajun held strong to keep the game scoreless.
The Cajuns inched closer as Robertson was walked and Kyle DeBarge got a double down left center. The next three batters all got out before Robertson had a chance to go home.
At the top of the fifth, Austin Thompson drew the game’s first blood with a solo home run over the left field wall.
Big inning for the Cajuns in the fifth. CJ Willis came pinch hit for Heath Hood and got a double down the third base line. Brock was fouled out near first base, which advanced Willis to third. Rincones got the RBI single to tie the game, then stole second before Marusak homered it over left field to take the 3-1 lead. DeBarge and Roccaforte were left on base to end the inning.
After an empty sixth for the Eagles, Louisiana tagged on two extra runs. Willis’ triple landed deep into center field, then Brock homered over right field to make it 5-1. The Cajuns left the bottom of the sixth inning with the bases loaded.
At the top of the eighth, Georgia Southern was a few feet from getting a three-run home run, but Veillon saved it at the wall to end the inning.
Louisiana finished the game strong with Dylan Theut at the mound at the top of the ninth to lock in the 5-1 win and are now 14-13 on the season.
BIG NUMBER: 3
The Cajuns as a team stole three bases in Sunday’s 5-1 series win over Georgia Southern.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: CJ Willis
Willis came in for Heath Hood at the bottom of the fifth and made an impact getting three base hits on three trips to the plate. He scored two runs to go along with a couple of putouts.
UP NEXT: Louisiana (14-13) will be in Ruston, Tuesday, April 5th to play Louisiana Tech for a 6:00 first pitch.