University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Arkansas State
Tribe Take Both Games In Saturday Doubleheader
5/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LAFAYETTE- Not much went the way of the Ragin' Cajuns Saturday afternoon as the Arkansas State Indians claimed both ends of the doubleheader at Moore Field. With the losses, Louisiana-Lafayette moves to 30-19 overall and 10-9 in Sun Belt play. ASU, who came into this week fighting for their playoff lives, move into the eighth and final spot with the wins (and UALR's losses last night and today). ASU also picked up their first conference series win on the season with today's victories.
Arkansas State battled back from a 6-0 hole to claim a 12-11 victory over the Cajuns in game one of today's doubleheader at Moore Field.
Jeff Morgan came on in relief and allowed the winning run as he took the loss in the first half of the twin bill. Morgan (1-1) allowed the lone run off of two hits in an inning and a third of action.
ASU reliever Matt Hicks (2-2) came in to pick up the game one win tossing three innings and allowing one run on four hits. Ryan Hamilton closed the contest to pick up his fourth save of the season.
Mike Sirianni reached base on an infield fielding error but was picked off by Cajuns starter Kevin Ardoin for the third out of the first inning.
Blake Ring (2-2) pitched a solid game two to lead the Indians. Ring picked up the win going the full seven innings allowing two runs on five hits.
The loss in game two went to Patrick Green. Green (4-2) allowed five runs, two earned on six hits through four and two-thirds innings.
Justin Merendino led off the Cajuns half of the first inning. John Coked dropped the barrel on a bunt single to advance Merendino to third. Rhett Buras homered on a 3-0 pitch after Coker was caught trying to steal second giving Louisiana-Lafayette an early 2-0 lead.
Micah Cockrell was hit with a pitch with the bases juiced to bring in the third run of the game for the Cajuns after Josh Landry singled up the middle. Ryan Core moved the runner to third with a single through the right side before Kevin Preau drew a walk to load the bases.
Buras drove in another run in the second with a double to left after Brad Saloom hit a two-out double to the wall in center.
Landry gave the home team a 6-0 lead with his third homerun on the season. Landry's two-run shot left the yard via the wall in center.
Karnie Vertz came on in relief of Tharp to get the last out of the inning.
The Cajuns picked up one more run in the third inning as Cockrell doubled to left and tagged up on a deep fly ball to advance to third. Merendino plated Cockrell with a double bringing the score to 7-0.
The Indians pulled two across in the fourth. Brad Burkhead singled to right to open the inning for ASU. Burkhead advanced to second on a groundout to the pitcher. Brad Hayes singled scoring the base runner. Chris Rich doubled to the gap in right-center to score Hayes.
Burkhead homered to with one in the top of the fifth on to pull ASU to within three at 7-4.
ASU picked up two more to make it a one-run game after Siriani singled up the middle and a pair of doubles were knocked off the bats of Hayes and Rich.
Kraig Schambough entered the game in relief of Ardoin to record the last out of the inning.
The Cajuns put a pair of base runners at first and second with no outs in the bottom of the fifth when Core reached on an infield fielding error and Preau singled up the middle. Devon Bourque hit into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Merendino drew a walk to load the bases. Coker ripped a single into center to score Core and Bourque. A wild pitch scored Merendino and put Coker on third.
Matt Hicks came in to deal for the Indians after Vertz issued a walk to Brad Saloom. Hicks got the last out of the frame, but the damage was done as Louisiana-Lafayette claimed a 10-6 lead.
Andy Runyan drew a walk and took second on an Issac Dillon single to start the sixth for ASU. Adam Roberson stretched a slow-rolling bunt into a base hit to load the bases. Burkhead came through again for ASU driving in two on a single to right.
Sirianni hit into a fielder's choice to pull the visitors to within one.
Hayes homered with Sirianni on to give ASU their first lead of the afternoon at 11-10.
Morgan came out of the bullpen to pitch for Louisiana-Lafayette to get the Cajuns out of the inning.
Ryan Core hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to even things at 11-11.
Geoff Desmond homered to center to untie the game giving the lead back to ASU at 12-11.
Brandt Sanders took over on the hill for the Ragin' Cajuns in the top of the eighth and would retire the Indians in order.
The Cajuns threatened in the eighth when Landry drove one off the wall in right-center for a double to start the bottom of the inning. Core singled and advanced on the throw in from center to put Landry on third. Pinch hitter Phillip Hawke drew a walk to load the bases.
Saloom singled in the bottom of the ninth before being lifted for a pinch runner. Landry doubled to left with two gone
Hamilton came in to pitch for the Indians and closed out the inning without allowing the tying run to score.
Burkhead started game two with a triple to left-center before an infield groundout plated the runner and gave ASU a 1-0 lead.
Core delivered a two-out single with the bases loaded giving Louisiana-Lafayette a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first.
Desmond continued with the back-and-forth fashion of the afternoon hitting a solo homerun to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the second.
Green sat the Tribe in order in the top of the third.
ASU retook the lead in the top of the fifth. Hayes went the opposite way with a three-run shot after Adam Roberson doubled and took third on an infield fielding error that allowed Sirianni to reach base. Hayes' homerun put the Indians up 5-2.
Sanders came on in relief of Green to get out of the fifth.
Hawke doubled through the hole on the left side of the infield with one gone in the sixth. Hawke took third on a fly out to center, but Ring would get the last out of the inning with a routing fly out to right.
ASU got a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh and held on to take game two by a final count of 7-2.
The Cajuns and Indians will wrap up the series tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. tilt at the “Tigue” in Lafayette.
