University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Alcorn State
Fifth-Inning Outburst Buries Alcorn
3/10/2010 3:15:00 AM | Baseball
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns sent 15 batters to the plate and pushed home 10 runs in the fifth inning to open a double-figure lead and put away Alcorn State on Tuesday evening in the opening game of a midweek series.
Louisiana (7-4) went on to post an 18-1 victory, posting season-highs in runs and base hits with 17.
The two teams will wrap up the midweek series on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., at "The Tigue". UL will send Michael Cook to the mound to face Alcorn State's Troy Williams.
Freshman Chase Traffica tossed six innings in his first collegiate start. He scattered six hits and struck out five in collecting the victory.
Randall Bulliard entered in the seventh inning and pitched effectively - only one hit allowed and five strikeouts - over the final three innings to record his first career save.
A total of 10 Cajuns posted at least one base hit. Greg Fontenot (3-for-4) and Dillon Guillory (2-for-4) were the top run producers, with four and three RBI, respectively.
Alex Fuselier extended his hitting streak to eight games as he went 2-for-3 with four runs scored.
Fuselier also had four stolen bases, tying the school single-game record and was the most since John McCarthy swiped four on March 1, 2006 vs. McNeese State.
Alcorn State (4-8) received a solid effort from starting pitcher Nick Carson who allowed just five runs over four innings. The Braves' bullpen, however, struggled allowing 13 runs over the next two innings.
The Braves scratched a run across in the first inning when after a leadoff double from Kenneth Rowan an errant throw on a sacrifice bunt attempt allowed him to score.
UL drew even in their half of the first on an RBI triple by Jordan Poirrier. He drove home Kyle Olasin who reached base on a bunt single.
Carson worked out of a jam in the third after Brian Bowman and Olasin led off with singles. After a sacrifice bunt he recorded a strikeout and groundout to stand the Cajuns' baserunners, keeping the score at 1-all.
Guillory gave the Cajuns the lead for good in the fourth with an RBI single through the left side. That scored Fuselier who led off with a walk, then stole second and third base.
On three straight at bats the Cajuns added to the lead. A Bowman RBI single scored Guillory, Olasin sacrifice fly scored Fontenot then a Chad Keefer ground-rule double plated Bowman as Louisiana increased its advantage to 5-1.
Louisiana's fifth inning outburst left little doubt in the outcome of the contest and sent the Cajuns to their second consecutive victory.
The game marked the first meeting between the two programs since April 24, 1986.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
