Louisiana Powers Past Troy

Freshman pitcher Nick Lee and the bottom of the Cajun line up powered Louisiana past Troy on Sunday. Louisiana topped Troy 8-3 to secure the series win.

Louisiana improved to 10-6 overall and 2-1 in Sun Belt play.

Lee threw a strong 5 and 1/3 innings, but nearly didn't make it out of the first. Troy collected two runs on two hits, prompting a first inning visit from Cajun skipper Tony Robichaux. The visit settled down the freshman from South Beauregard and Lee put it on cruise control from that point.

After the first inning Lee would go on to retire 13 straight Trojan batters before yielding to Eric Carter in the sixth inning.

While the Cajun offense has struggled for much of the season, the bats were out in full force Sunday afternoon.

Louisiana picked up a pair of runs in the top of the second and third, on Derek Herrington and Steven Sensley RBI singles. But the Cajuns real damage came in the fourth.

Junior Alex Pinero, who collected four hits on the day led off the inning with a homer to left field. Nick Thurman followed up Pinero's bomb with a double and then scored on Derek Herrington's RBI triple to right center field. A Brian Mills ground out to second base would then allow Herrington to score.

Louisiana took a 5-2 lead after four innings.

Troy would grab one more run in the sixth, but never get any closer.

But the Cajun offense never stopped. Louisiana added insurance runs in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Pinero led off the eighth with a single and found himself at third base after a pair of Cajun sacrifices. Brian Mills then singled home Pinero to pick up his second RBI of the day.

The Cajuns would plate two more runs in the ninth on Hunter Kasuls and Alex Pinero RBI singles.

Dylan Moore worked two scoreless innings to pick up the save. With the save, his fourth of the season, Moore moved into first place on the Cajuns all time saves list. Sunday's save was the 17th of Moore's career.

The save capped off a great weekend for the Cajun sophomore,  Moore struck out eight of the nine Trojan batters he faced.

Next up Louisiana will travel to face Northwestern State on Wednesday, with first pitch scheduled for 6 pm. Following that midweek contest, the Cajuns will return home to host Little Rock in a three game Sun Belt Conference set.