Coastal Slaps Cajuns, 10-3 to Salvage Game Three

The 15th ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers scored twice in each of the first two innings, then put the game away on Zach Biermann's three run homer in the fourth to defeat the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, 10-3 Sunday afternoon at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.

The win enabled the Chants (32-16, 18-6 Sun Belt) to salvage one game in the three game series, but although the Cajuns (28-21, 14-10) took two of three from the nationally ranked club, Louisiana coach Tony Robichaux was less than pleased.

"We had no tempo on the mound today," Robichaux said.  "In the first two games, we had tempo, we got some big hits and played good defense.  But today, we played defense, but we didn't pitch and we didn't hit with men on base.  We won the series, but when you win the first two and don't win the third one, you go home mad.  Today, I'm going home mad.

Coastal jumped on Cajuns' starter Jack Burk (3-5) in the first inning when Seth Lancaster walked with one out and Kevin Woodall, Jr. doubled.  Burk struck out Biermann, but Lee Sponseller lofted a single just over the head of second baseman Hunter Kasuls to plate both runners.

The Cajuns bounced back in the bottom of the inning when Hayden Cantrelle singled with one out and Gavin Bourgeois was hit by a pitch.  Kasuls singled to plate Cantrelle and Kennon Fontenot singled to load the bases.  But Chants' starter Zach McCambley struck out Zach Lafleur and Kole McKinnon to leave the bases loaded.

Coastal continued to swing the bat well in the second as Matt Beaird singled with one out and Corey Wood doubled.  Lancaster doubled home both runs to give the Chanticleers a 4-1 lead.  And, the 2016 National Champions put the game away against reliever Austin Perrin the fourth when Wood singled with one out and Woodall drew a two out walk.  Biermann then launched his second home run of the series to make the score 7-1.

Coastal added a run in the fifth and two more in the eighth before the Cajuns got a two run single from Kasuls in the ninth for the final score.  Louisiana stranded eleven baserunners, including the bases loaded on two occasions.

Reliever Zach Eardensohn (5-0) picked up the win by hurling 3.2 innings of one hit ball.

The loss, combined with Little Rock's win over South Alabama, dropped the Cajuns back into second place in the West Division.  They will play at Texas State next weekend.