University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
* Arkansas-Little Rock
Comeback Cajuns Even Series With 6-5 Win Over UALR
4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-The Cajuns and Trojans played a tight contest all the way through Saturday afternoon at Hogan Field. Phillip Hawke's RBI single in the top of the seventh was the difference as the Cajuns improve to 23-11 overall and 8-3 in Conference play.
Cajuns starter Ian Pecoraro gets the decision for Louisiana-Lafayette. Pecoraro (3-1) gave up three runs on four hits through five innings while showing four Trojans a seat with the strikeout.. Patrick Green picked up his first save of the year getting the last two outs in the one-run game.
The Cajuns got the first run of the game when Justin Merendino singled down the third base line and scored on Justin Bourque's stand-up double to the wall in left-center to start the game for Louisiana-Lafayette.
Brandt Sanders pitched well in middle relief for the Cajuns going one batter over three innings giving up two runs while fanning six
Brad Cherry took the loss as the Trojans starting pitcher. The senior righty threw five and two-thirds innings surrendering five runs on nine hits.
Jimmy Scott tied the game at one with a solo homerun in the bottom of the first.
Cherry retired the Cajuns' side in order in the top of inning three.
UALR took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of inning three after Rhett Hubbard and Scott walked to lead off the bottom of the third. Hubbard scored on Matt Spatafora's seeing-eye single up the middle. The baserunners advanced 90 feet on a groundout back to the hill. Chris Becker plated the runner on third with a sacrifice fly to left.
Hawke lined a single up the middle to start the fourth. Ryan Core followed suit sneaking a single through the left side. A double play advanced Hawke to third where he would be stranded as Cherry struck out the last batter in the inning.
The Trojans threatened in the bottom of the fourth when Josh Ward hit a bloop double to center before Adam Coleman walked all with one gone in the inning. Pecoraro would work his way out of trouble with no damage done in the frame getting a strikeout and a fielder's choice up the middle to end the inning.
Cherry issued a walk to Bourque to start the sixth frame before Dallas Morris tied the game at three with one swing of the bat. Morris's team-leading 12th homerun of the season left the yard over the wall in right-center and touched the brand new scoreboard at Hogan Field.
Hawke singled to keep the inning going for UL Lafayette. Core drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Cockrell moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt. Coker got the runners home with a two-out stand-up double laced down the foul line in left.
Coker's double chased Cherry in favor of Cody Fry. Fry walked Merendino, but got the last out in the stanza with no further runs scoring for Louisiana-Lafayette.
Joe Petrino singled to open the bottom of the sixth before Brandt Sanders came on in relief of Pecoraro. Sanders plunked Coleman, but got a strikeout and a fielder's choice to end the inning.
Drew Antonini entered the game to work in the top of the seventh. Morris touched an Antonini offering and drove it the opposite way for a double off the wall in right-center. Hawke drove in Morris with a single down the first base line, giving the Cajuns a 6-3 lead.
The Trojans got two runs back in the bottom of the seventh after Spatafora doubled to lead off the inning. McKellar singled in the run with a lined shot to the right side. Becker followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Aaron Haefele bunted the runner at third home with a squeeze to first, pulling UALR to within one at 6-5.
Jason Rodriguez hit a double to open the eighth. Coker laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Rodriguez to third, but the Cajuns could not manage to get the insurance run as Antonini got a ground out and a pop fly out tio the infield to end the frame.
Coleman walked to reach base in the bottom of the eighth. Coleman took two bases on an errant pickoff play. The last out in the inning came as Coleman was caught stealing after a pitch behind the batter reached the screen. Core threw to Sanders who was covering the plate for the out.
Morris and Hawke hit a pair of singles to start the ninth. Morris advanced to third on a fly out to center, but the runners would be stranded as reliever Travis Trammell used his best strikeout pitch to get the last out of the inning at the plate.
The Cajuns put the tying run on in the ninth when Spatafora was hit by a pitch. Becker singled to the right side to put runners on first and second.
Coach Robichaux brought in Green to face Heafele. Green got the final two outs to preserve the win for UL Lafayette.
The Cajuns and Trojans will wrap up the series tomorrow. The first pitch of the rubber match is scheduled for 1 p.m.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
