Cajuns Squeeze Past Towson in 11th, 6-5
It was opening night at M. L. "Tigue" Moore field, and Cajuns fans got free baseball.
Sophomore Chase Compton's suicide squeeze bunt with one out in the eleventh inning was the game winner as Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns came from behind to edge Towson 6-5 in the first of a three game series before an opening night crowd of 2,258.
Compton's bunt scored Ryan Leonards who had tripled with one out. After Tyler Girouard and pinch-hitter Tyler Frederick were walked intentionally, Compton laid down the bunt on the first pitch from Tyler Austin (0-2) as Leonards scored easily with the winning run.
The Cajuns (2-3) had to come from behind with two runs in the seventh inning to tie the game at 5. An RBI single by Michael Strentz and a bases loaded walk to Daniel Nichols got the Cajuns even.
After the Cajuns got two runs in the first inning on a two run single by freshman Dylan Butler, Towson (1-3) took advantage of wildness by Louisiana starter Joe Zimmerman to score four runs and take a 4-2 lead. Zimmerman walked three in the inning and all three runners came in to score. Freshman Cord Cockrell came on in relief and allowed one unearned run in 4.1 innings.
Sophomore Matt Hicks (1-0) pitched four shutout innings to get the win for the Cajuns. Hicks twice was faced with a runner on third with one out, but both times Hicks got a called third strike and a ground ball to get out of trouble. The Cajuns pitchers induced 19 ground ball outs in the game.
Compton and Leonards each had three hits to pace the Cajuns 13 hit attack. The 13 hits are the most in a game for Louisiana so far this season.
Dominic Fratantuono had four hits for the Tigers in a losing effort.
The two teams will play again Saturday afternoon at 2:05pm. Jordan Nicholson (0-0) will get his second start of the year for the Cajuns.
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