Leger Baffles ‘Bama, Cajuns Win Series, 14-2

Louisiana baseball coach Tony Robichaux had planned to audition quite a few pitchers on Sunday, trying to find one who might be ready to be a weekend starter against Troy in the Sun Belt Conference opening series next weekend.

He didn't have to go any further than freshman Gunner Leger.

Leger kept Alabama's offense off balance all day long, allowing just three hits over eight innings as the Cajuns handled #25 Alabama 14-2 at the Hoover Met outside of Birmingham to win the weekend series.

Leger (2-0), retired fourteen straight batters in one stretch and allowed the Tide nothing after giving up one run on two hits in the first inning.

Meanwhile, shortstop Blake Trahan had four hits and drove in a career high four runs to pace a 14 hit Louisiana attack.  Greg Davis added a homer and drove in three runs as Louisiana improved its record to 6-5.

"We felt like, win, lose or draw, we'd leave here a better team," Louisiana head coach Tony Robichaux said.  Playing here allowed us to get weathered a little bit.  We got off our heels and got onto the balls of our feet and that's why we were able to win the series."

Davis' long homer in the first inning staked the Cajuns to an early 1-0 lead but Alabama came back in the bottom of the first with two of the three hits off Leger to tie the score. Joe Robbins' two out single gave the Cajuns the lead for good in the second inning before Trahan's bases loaded double highlighted a four run fourth to make the score 6-1.  The Cajuns added four more runs in the sixth inning, two in the seventh and two more in the ninth to take a 14-1 lead.  Alabama got a home run in the ninth for the final margin.

Leger didn't allow a hit after the first inning until two were out in the eighth.  He did not walk a man and struck out five in his eight innings of work, throwing just 93 pitches.  Geoffrey Bramlett (2-1) took the loss for Alabama (7-4) allowing five earned runs in four innings of work.

Brenn Conrad, Nick Thurman and Kyle Clement also had two hit days for the Cajuns.

Louisiana will come back home on Wednesday to take on Northwestern State at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field.  Gametime is scheduled for 6pm.