Cockrell and Kellogg's Relief Effort Makes Early Lead Stand

Contact: Matt Hebert

Box Score

The bat of Dylan Butler provided the runs they would need and 5 2/3 innings of combined scoreless relief from Cord Cockrell and Caleb Kellogg locked up a 3-1 victory over Houston for the Ragin' Cajuns baseball team Tuesday evening at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

Butler finished the night 3-for-4 with a single in the first inning that led to the first two runs and a RBI triple in the third that helped Louisiana (7-5) reclaim a two-run cushion.

Cockrell and Kellogg managed to strand eight Houston baserunners during the relief effort, scattered five hits and held the Cougars to a 2-for-12 showing with runners on base.

In the ninth inning, Daniel Nichols delivered a key outfield assist for the second out on a Landon Appling single that would have scored Cory Kay and trimmed the UL lead to one run. Kellogg then forced pinch hitter Jonathan Davis to fly out to deep right field for the final out.

With the win the Cajuns remain undefeated at “The Tigue” in 2012, improving to 5-0 and continuing the program's best start at the facility since the 2007 squad opened 15-0.

Louisiana makes the quick turnaround and travels to Lake Charles for a 6:30 p.m., meeting with McNeese State on Wednesday. The squad wraps up the busy week when they return to “The Tigue” for a three-game series against Southern Miss March 9-11.

Cockrell picked up the win after relieving starter Kendall Mayer in the fourth inning. Kellogg notched his second save of the season.

Austin Pruitt went the distance for Houston, retiring 14 Cajuns from the third inning until a bunt single by Dominick Francia in the seventh inning. Despite scattering just six hits – three in UL's final two at bats – he was saddled with the hard-luck loss.

The first three Cajuns to face Pruitt reached base and the hosts grabbed a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.

Ryan Leonards drew a leadoff walk, then on a hit-and-run Tyler Girouard singled through the left side to advance him to third base. Butler continued the early hit barrage as he dumped a single into left field that was misplayed by Price Jacobs allowing both runners to score.

UH collected one of the runs back in the top of the second inning as a Casey Grayson leadoff double down the right field line followed by a John Cannon single back up the middle produced the tally.

Chris Sinclair caught Cannon attempting to steal second and Mayer notched a strikeout and groundout to preserve the lead.

Butler delivered again in the third inning when he followed up a Girouard leadoff walk with a triple to center field to increase the lead to 3-1.

With Mayer having issued two walks and beginning to have trouble finding the strike zone in the fourth inning, Cockrell was summoned from the bullpen with a 2-0 count on an at bat to Cannon. He induced a grounder back to the mound and put an end to the potential UH threat with a strikeout of Michael Pyeatt.

Pruitt retired the Cajuns in order in the fourth, fifth and sixth inning to keep the Cougars' deficit at two runs.

A leadoff single, plus a hit-by-pitch and walk with two outs had the Cougars threatening in the seventh inning. Cockrell stood tall and struck out Zack Gibson on three pitches for the final out.

Kellogg relieved Cockrell in the eighth and recovered from a shaky start to the inning and kept the Cougars off the scoreboard. A leadoff single by Jake Runte and Leonard's error on a double play ball gave UH two baserunners with no outs. Kellogg struck out Chase Jensen for the first out, then on a second chance at a double play Jace Conrad and Leonards were able to generate the twin killing which retired the side.

BASES NOTED: Head coach Tony Robichaux is now 22 wins shy of 900 career victories (878-591-1 in his 26^th season)…The Cajuns have now won two straight over Houston at “The Tigue” and have held the Cougars to just two runs over 18 innings in the process…Tuesday's game marked the first meeting between the two schools since a home-and-home series in 2009…Chris Sinclair's caught stealing of John Cannon in the second inning was his sixth attempted base stealer thrown out this season…Freshman Dylan Butler picked up his first career three-hit game as a collegian…Caleb Kellogg has now had a hand in each of the Cajuns last three victories – two innings of relief for win vs. Alcorn State (2/28), 1 1/3 innings pitched for save vs. Kansas (3/3) and two innings for the save vs. Houston (3/6)…In each of his relief appearances this season, Kellogg has recorded four outs or more…In two relief appearances at “The Tigue” this season, Kellogg has tossed four innings of scoreless relief and notched six strikeouts…Chase Compton had four more plate appearances without a strikeout, and now has only three strikeouts in 50 appearances this season…Houston was coming off a strong showing at the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park in which the squad collected wins over SEC-members Tennessee and Arkansas.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Cockrell and Kellogg's Relief Effort Makes Early Lead Stand

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