LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team had its six-game win streak snapped Tuesday night as the Cajuns fell to Southeastern Louisiana 5-3 in a non-conference game at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (21-14) outhit the Lions (27-11) 11-7 in the contest with junior Kyle Clement recording three hits on the night. Both Tyler Girouard and Nick Thurman had a pair of hits in the game with Girouard posting his second homer of the season.
“When you get caught up in a game like this, this type of team, it’s a razor’s edge,” head coach Tony Robichaux said. “You either pull away from them so you can take away the bunting and hit-and-running, which we didn’t do – that was our plan, which was to score first and build on a lead to try to stop that. When you play somebody like this close, they become a better team because they’re prepared for low-scoring games. Tyler got us on the board with the big home run, gave us some energy, we just didn’t answer it with the relief pitcher.
“We didn’t leave ourselves much wiggle room with only a one-run lead. We had guys at second and third with one out and we failed to get a run in. When you’re done in by two runs, that’s one right there. When you play on the razor’s edge like we do, we don’t pull away from people. We can’t separate ourselves. So because of that, everything has to go right. We’ve got to play good defense and we’ve got to do the little things.”
Starter Eric Carter left the contest after three innings giving up two runs on three hits with a strikeout, whileWill Bacon was strong in relief tossing four scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Junior Colton Lee was tabbed with the loss for Louisiana allowing three runs on a hit, a walk and a hit batsman in 0.1 of an inning to fall to 1-3 on the year.
SLU starter Pat Cashman went six innings and gave up two runs on nine hits with three strikeouts. Dreagan Bethel was the winning pitcher of record for Southeastern Louisiana throwing one inning in relief and allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts.
The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the third on a two-run homer to right by Chris Eades off of Carter.
In the bottom of the fourth, Clement doubled to center to lead of the inning. After moving to third on a bunt by Brenn Conrad, Clement came in to score on a single to left by Joe Robbins to make the score 2-1.
Thurman scored the tying run in the bottom of the sixth after leading off the inning with a infield single and then moved to third on a stolen base and a wild pitch. After Evan Powell was hit by a pitch, Conrad brought Thurman home on a ball hit to second to tie the game.
Girouard gave the Ragin’ Cajuns a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the seventh as he launched a leadoff solo homer over the fence in right center.
The lead would be short lived though as the Lions would answer with three runs in the top of the eighth to regain the lead 5-3. With one out and the bases loaded, Kevin Carr lined a single into right to plate one run and tie the game at 3-all. The Cajuns would turn to reliever Dylan Moore who got ahead of Brett Hoffman 0-2 before Hoffman delivered a two-run single through the left side of the infield to give SLU a two-run edge.
Drew Avans and Mac Sceroler combined to throw two scoreless innings to close out the contest for the Lions as Sceroler picked up his fifth save of the season.
The Ragin’ Cajuns return to action this weekend as they head to San Marcos, Texas for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series with Texas State. Game one is set for 6 p.m. Friday at Bobcat Ballpark.
For updates and info on Louisiana baseball, follow the team on twitter @CajunsBaseball or check RaginCajuns.com.
