Cajuns Three-Run Second Tops McNeese 5-4

Louisiana baseball coach Tony Robichaux has a pitching system predicated on staying away from the three-run inning.

In Wednesday night's game against McNeese State, the Cowboys gave up the three run inning....and lost.

The Cajuns' three-run second helped the Cajuns get the midweek game over McNeese State 5-4 at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

The Cajuns inning started with a single by Tyler Frederick.  Chase Compton hit a ball to the left of second baseman Andrew Guillotte, who tried to get Frederick at second but threw wildly.  Frederick was forced on Daniel Nichols' sacrifice attempt for the first out, but Logan Preston doubled home Compton to give the Cajuns a 1-0 lead.  Jordan Bourque's sacrifice fly drove in Nichols, and Preston scored on Chris Sinclair's two out single to right.

Three runs.

McNeese got a run back in the third on Connor Lloyd's single off winning pitcher Austin Robichaux (1-4).  A passed ball moved Lloyd to second and he went to third on a wild pitch before Matt Henry's two out single got the Cowboys (17-21) on the board.

The Cajuns (19-21) got thr run back on a one out single by Bourque, who moved to second on a groundout.  Brian Bowman's second hit of the night, a double, scored Bourque to make it 4-1.

McNeese got a run in the sixth off reliever Cord Cockrell on a single by Seth Granger and a double by Michael Sullivan to make it 4-2 with nobody out.  Cockrell got two strikeouts and a groundout to avoid further damage.

But the Cajuns got the run right back in the bottom of the inning on a double by Bourque, a sacrifice bunt by Sinclair and a sacrifice fly by Bowman to make it 5-2.

The Cowboys wouldn't go quietly, however, as Sullivan's two run double in the seventh made it a one run game.  But Derek Howell made sure it wouldn't be a three run inning by getting Skylar Barrantine to hit back to the pitcher to end the inning.  Howell was making his first appearance since being struck by a batted ball during batting practice last Wednesday, breaking his nose.

Matt Hicks got the first five batters he faced, but gave up back to back singles to Henry and Granger in the ninth to put the tying and go ahead runs on base.  Caleb Kellogg got Sullivan to hit back to the pitcher for his fifth save of the season.

Bowman and Bourque paced the Cajuns' ten-hit attack with two hits apiece.  Bowman drove in two runs and Bourque one.  Henry had three of McNeese's eleven hits, with Granger and Sullivan getting two each.

Robichaux, who pitched a pre-determined three innings as the starter, was credited with the win.  He gave up three hits and one run in the three innings he worked, striking out two.

With the win, head coach Tony Robichaux is now just ten wins away from 900 in his career.

The Cajuns now head to Little Rock, AR to take on UALR in a three game Sun Belt Conference series at Gary Hogan Field.  Game times are 6pm Friday, 4pm Saturday and 1pm Sunday.