Cajuns Take Game One From ULM, 10-3

The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns broke open a tight game, scoring six runs in the final three innings to take the first game of their season-ending series against UL Monroe 10-3 Thursday night at Warhawk Field in Monroe.

The Cajuns (32-20, 16-11 Sun Belt) led 4-2 heading into the seventh inning, when Blake Trahan led off with a single.  He went to second on a wild pitch, to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch to give the Cajuns a 5-2 lead.  Stefan Trosclair walked and went to third on Tyler Girouards single.  Girouard stole second and both runners scored on Nick Thurman's two out single to give the Cajuns a five run lead.

After ULM got a run in the eighth, the Cajuns got three more in the ninth inning as Joe Robbins led off with a double and scored on Kyle Clement's single.  One batter later, Girouard tallied his third hit of the night.  Thurman walked and Greg Davis singled to load the bases.  Girouard scored on a wild pitch and Thurman scored while Davis was in a rundown for the final run of the night.

It was another exceptional pitching performance by freshman Gunner Leger.  The lefty went 7.1 innings, scattering eight hits and allowing two earned runs to bring his record to 6-4 on the season..  He struck out a career high nine batters and did not allow a walk.  Leger has now gone 35 consecutive innings without issuing a free pass.

The Cajuns got on the board in the first inning when Clement doubled with two outs.  Trosclair was hit by a pitch and the runners moved up on a wild pitch. Girouard then delivered a single to left field to plate the first two runs of the night.

The Cajuns stretched the lead to 3-0 when Dylan Butler launched a mammoth home run to left field on a 3-1 pitch.  It was Butler's eighth round tripper of the season.

ULM got on the board in the fourth on a double by Kodie Tidwell, a single by Justin Stawychny and a ground out by Danny Springer.

The Cajuns got that run right back against starter Alex Hermeling (4-7) when Trahan reached on an error and was sacrificed to third.  Kyle Clement then delivered a sacrifice fly to score Trahan and make the score 4-1.

ULM got an unearned run in the fifth on a leadoff double by Jacob Stockton and a two out error to bring the Warhawks (25-27, 12-16) to within two before the Cajuns put the game away in the seventh.

Girouard had three hits to pace the Cajuns' 12-hit attack, with Clement and Thurman collecting two hits each.  The trio each had two rbi on the night.

Hermeling, the first of four pitchers for ULM, allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, over six innings.

Greg Milhorn worked the final 1.2 innings for the Cajun, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out two.

The win, coupled with Georgia State's win over Georgia Southern, moved the Cajuns into third place in the league by a half game.  Game two of the series is scheduled for Friday at 6pm and will be heard on 96.5 KPEL-FM.