Cajuns Rally to Beat Arkansas State 9-6

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns came from behind on four different occasions and defeated Arkansas State 9-6 to even their best of three series at one game apiece before 4,271 at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

With the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the eighth, Stefan Trosclair started the Cajuns' rally with a one out single off losing pitcher Coulton Lee (0-1).  Brian Mills singled Trosclair to second for his third hit of the game.  Blake Trahan then hit a hard grounder to shortstop that went through the legs of shortstop Jeremy Brown to score Trosclair and break the tie.  After Greg Davis was walked intentionally, the Cajuns attempted a suicide squeeze bunt.  Nick Thurman missed the bunt attempt but Mills scored as the ball rolled a few feet away from catcher Stuart Levy with all three runners moving up on what was ruled a triple steal.  Thurman then grounded out as Trahan scored the third run of the inning.

Chris Charpentier (2-2) , who came in a bases loaded situation in the eighth, retired all five batters he faced, four of them on strikeouts to notch the win.

Arkansas State (11-13, 3-7 Sun Belt) scored twice on four hits off Cajuns' starter Greg Milhorn in the first inning with Levy and Collin Massanelli notching RBI hits.  But the Cajuns (14-10, 6-4) tied the game in the third on a sacrifice fly by Davis and a two out single by Trahan.

The Red Wolves retook the lead in the fifth when Jeremy Brown walked with one out, moved to third on a two out single by Zach George and scored on a base hit by DH Matt Burgess.

The Cajuns took their first lead in the bottom of the sixth when Tyler Girouard singled with one out.  Derek Herrington and Trosclair walked to load the bases and Mills singled to score two runs and give the Cajuns a 4-3 lead.

The lead was short lived, however, as Ty White greeted Cajuns' reliever Colton Lee with a double down the left field line.  After Jeremy Brown fouled out, White moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Austin Baker's sacrifice fly to tie the game.  Lee then walked Zach George and Burgess and hit Levy with a pitch.  Massanelli's ground ball was misplayed by Davis and the Red Wolves led 5-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh.

The Cajuns came right back, however, when Thurman walked with one out and Dylan Butler launched a two run homer to left to put the Cajuns back out in front 6-5.

Arkansas State tied the game without a hit in the eighth when Lee walked Ty White with one out and hit Brown to put runners on first and second.  Reliever Dylan Moore entered and walked Baker and George to force in a run before Charpentier came in to strike out Burgess and Levy.

Mills had three hits to pace the Cajuns' eleven hit attack, while Trosclair and Butler had two hits each.  Mills, Butler and Thurman each drove in a pair of runs.

Milhorn was solid in his start, allowing eight hits and three runs in six innings of work.  He walked two and struck out six.

George had three of Arkansas State's nine hits.  Burgess added two hits in the contest.

The two teams will finish their three game series Sunday at 1pm at "The Tigue."  Freshman Evan Guillory will get the start for the Cajuns, while right hander David Owen will start for the Red Wolves.