Article Image Alt Text

Louisiana stunned by Georgia Southern in extra innings

The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team’s run of consecutive Sun Belt Tournament championships ended Friday night as the Cajuns were stunned by host Georgia Southern, 7-6, in 11 innings at J.I. Clement Stadium.
The Eagles (37-20) outhit the Ragin’ Cajuns (35-21-1) 13-8, with Logan Baldwin posting a game-high three hits with a home run and four RBIs.
Zach LaFleur, Kennon Fontenot and Handsome Monica each had two hits for Louisiana. LaFleur reached base in five of his six at bats, while junior Steven Sensley extended his on-base streak to 26 games.
Junior Gunner Leger was strong on the mound, limiting Georgia Southern to one run in seven innings on six hits with seven strikeouts in a no decision.
Reliever Evan Guillory (4-3) suffered the loss after surrendering one run on two hits and three walks in 2 innings.
Junior Wyatt Marks reached 100 strikeouts this season after tossing a scoreless eighth inning with three strikeouts.
Seth Shuman (8-0) notched the victory for the Eagles with two scoreless frames to conclude the contest.
The Cajuns jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first when Fontenot drove a two-out single to right-center to plate Sensley for a 1-0 Louisiana lead.
Monica extended the lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning, sending his fourth home run of the season over the left-center fence for a two-run homer.
The Eagles got on the board in the top of the fourth on a leadoff solo home run to centerfield by Tyler Martin to cut the lead to 3-1.
Louisiana got the run back in the bottom of the sixth on a solo homer to left-center by Brad Antchak to increase the Cajuns’ advantage to 4-1. The home run was Antchak’s second this season.
Later in the inning, Brenn Conrad lined a two-out single to right field to plate Monica and make the score 5-1.
The Ragin’ Cajuns held Georgia Southern scoreless until the ninth inning when Evan McDonald sent a bases-loaded, RBI single through the infield’s left side to cut the lead to 5-2.
After Steven Curry struck out for the inning’s first out, Baldwin drove an 0-1 pitch off Colten Schmidt over the wall down the right field line for a grand slam to put the Eagles up 6-5.
The Cajuns answered in the bottom of the ninth as Joe Robbins scored on an error by McDonald at shortstop with two outs to even the contest. Pinch runner Jam Williams was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the inning and send the game into extra innings.
After a scoreless 10th inning, Georgia Southern regained the lead in the top of the 11th on an RBI double to right-center by Jordan Wren for a 7-6 Eagles lead.
Shuman retired the Cajuns in the bottom of the 11th, getting pinch hitter Tyler Stover to strike out to end the game.
Friday’s game was the last for Berwick High alum and UL-Lafayette senior pitcher Chris Charpentier.

ST. MARY NOW

Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874

Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255