The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns took the short drive down I-10 West to Lake Charles where they took on in-state foe McNeese for a weeknight contest at Joe Miller Ballpark. Both offenses showed up in full force, as 18 runs were scored on 28 hits between the two clubs.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Louisiana opened the game with back to back singles from Wil Veillon and Kyle DeBarge. Two batters later, Carson Roccaforte flied out to CF to bring home Veillon and DeBarge would come home on a bunt by Heath Hood the next at bat. Then, Connor Kimple went around the horn on a inside the park home run to score two more and make it 4-0 in favor of the Cajuns.
It wasn’t until the 3rd inning that the Cowboys were able to scratch a run home. Cade Morris singled up the middle to score Braden Duhon from second to trim Louisiana’s lead to 4-1.
In the 5th, McNeese was able to get three runs off of Hayden Durke to tie the game at 4. First, Brad Burckel scored on a wild pitch which advanced Cowboy runners to 2nd and 3rd with 2 outs. After a walk of Peyton Johnson, Schuyler Thibodeaux gets a 2-run single with the bases loaded that would knot the score.
Heath Hood opened the 6th for the Cajuns with a triple and Connor Kimple got him home on a groundout shortly after to regain the lead for Louisiana, 5-4. However, the lead was short-lived, as McNeese was able to reel off 3 runs in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-5 in favor of the Cowboys.
Louisiana was able to get their first two batters in both the 7th and 8th innings on base, and in the 8th, Julian Brock singles home Hood. Then, Warnner Rincones singles up the middle to bring home CJ Willis and tie the game once again at 7. Two batters later, Kyle DeBarge come up with an infield triple to score two more and increase the Cajun lead to 9-7.
In the 9th, Roccaforte opened things up with a stand-up triple, then scored on a single by Hood to extend Louisiana’s lead to 10-7. McNeese would not go away quietly, however, as Peyton Johnson hit a deep fly over the right field wall to cut the Cajun lead to 10-8, but Jacob Schultz was able to shut the door and secure the victory for Louisiana.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Connor Kimple- 2-5, 1B, HR, 3 RBIs
Kimple was a difference maker in this game, with his 1st inning inside the park home run really setting the tone for the rest of the contest.
BIG NUMBER: 16
16 base hits on the night for Louisiana, the second consecutive game that the Cajuns have had 15+ hits.
UP NEXT: Louisiana will travel to Troy, AL where they will open Sun Belt conference play against the Troy Trojans. First pitch from Riddle-Pace Field is set for 6pm.