You just can't walk people.

Baseball fans know that, and got a prime example on Sunday.

Georgia Southern used free base runners to win the series over Louisiana, scoring four times in the sixth inning to take a 5-4 win over the Cajuns at J. I. Clements Stadium.

The Eagles (9-11, 2-1 Sun Belt) took advantage of some wildness from Cajuns' reliever Hogan Harris (0-1), making his first appearance since February 17th because of a strained oblique.  Harris retired the first four men he faced.  But Harris issued back to back walks to pinch hitter Seth Shuman and Noah Searcy with one out.  Chandler Corley then lifted a fly ball down the right field line over the head of Zach Lafleur for a ground rule double to cut the lead to 4-2.  Avant flied out for the second out of the inning, but Golden walked to load the bases, Simmons cut the lead to 4-3 with an infield single.  Steven Curry was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run and Noah Swan walked to give the Eagles the lead before Dylan Moore got the final out of the inning.

"Nothing good happens when you extend innings," head coach Tony Robichaux said.  "We misplayed a ball and then we gave them walks."

Meanwhile, Eagles' reliever Cole Whitney (1-1) was putting up zeroes.  The junior college transfer allowed just two hits over 5.1 innings of relief, holding the Cajuns at bay until the Eagles could rally.  Chase Cohen pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

The Cajuns (8-11 1-2) wasted no time getting things rolling against Georgia Southern starter David Johnson when Daniel Lahare walked and Gavin Bourgeois singled.  Hunter Kasuls bunted the runners over and after Kennon Fontenot struck out, Hayden Cantrelle singled to bring both runners home.

"Our hitters got better this week," Robichaux said, "and that was good to see.  We just walked too many and hit too many this weekend."

Georgia Southern got some two out magic to get on the board in the second inning against Cajuns' starter Colten Schmidt when Christian Avant was hit by a pitch, Mitchell Golden singled him to third and Avant scored on a Blake Simmons single to cut the lead in half.

But Louisiana struck right back in the third when Bourgeois doubled with one out and went to third on a Kasuls single.  Fontenot bunted to score Bourgeois and send Kasuls to second and Cantrelle delivered again with a base hit to make the score 4-1.

Schmidt, who threw 59 pitches on Tuesday in an outing against Tulane, went the first four innings, allowing three hits and a run with a walk and five strikeouts.

The Cajuns will travel to McNeese State on Wednesday.

 

More From 103.3 The GOAT