Back-and-Forth Series Finale Finishes in UALR's Favor

Contact: Matt Hebert

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In the seventh inning of the series finale at Gary Hogan Field on Sunday the Ragin' Cajuns baseball team produced the three-run inning that head coach Tony Robichaux looks for his offense to record and his pitcher's to avoid to reclaim the lead, but in the bottom half of the inning surrendered three runs to UALR and as a result dropped a 9-8 decision in the rubber match of the series.

Louisiana (20-23, 8-13 Sun Belt) victimized the UALR bullpen once again when a three-run home run by Tyler Girouard in the seventh inning off of UALR reliever Ethan Schlechte gave the Cajuns a 7-6 lead. It marked the second three-run frame off the Trojans bullpen in the series.

The lead was short-lived, though, as Joe Zimmermann gave up a leadoff walk to Myles Parma to start the bottom of the seventh inning and Chris Burk followed with a homer to left field to return the lead to the Trojans (22-21, 9-12 Sun Belt) at 8-7.

The third run of the frame by the Trojans, which increased the lead to 9-7, was unearned as a throwing error by Girouard on a fielder's choice grounder to third base would keep the inning alive for another fielder's choice grounder to plate John Clark.

That extra run proved costly for Louisiana as the squad would pick up a run in the eighth inning on a Brian Bowman RBI single, but remained behind on the scoreboard due in part to the Trojans' unearned tally.

Bryson Thionnet, who had moved from shortstop to the mound, forced Jace Conrad to pop up to shortstop to end the Cajuns half of the eighth inning and retired the side in order in the ninth inning to collect the save.

With the loss the Ragin' Cajuns dropped a Sun Belt series for the third straight weekend. It was also the first series loss to UALR since the 2001 season.

UL has no midweek games scheduled next week as the University administers final exams. The Ragin' Cajuns return to action Friday-Sunday, May 4-6 at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field in a three-game Sun Belt series with Troy.

Jordan Bourque posted a three-hit game for the Cajuns for the second straight outing finishing 3-for-4. Bourque, who went 3-for-5 on Saturday, finished the series 6-for-9 at the plate.

Butler cranked his seventh home run of the season in the third inning and upped his RBI total to 39 which leaves him one RBI shy of becoming the first freshman with 40 RBI since Les Smith tallied 41 in 2009.

Cajuns pitchers weren't effective the entire day, issuing 12 total free passes to the Trojans (nine walks, three hit by pitch). UALR took advantage as four runs were a direct result of the free passes.

Zimmermann took the loss for Cajuns as he was responsible for the go-ahead run that crossed on Burk's homer.

The trend of alternating wins and losses continued for the Cajuns, a streak which began with a loss in the FIU series opener (11 straight games). The loss also dropped the Cajuns into a tie for ninth place in the Sun Belt standings with Troy, making next weekend's series with the Trojans a pivotal one if the squad is to stay in the running for a Sun Belt Tournament berth.

The Trojans opened the scoring in their first at bat plating an unearned run on a Nick Rountree sacrifice fly.

UALR took advantage of Jordan Harrison's inability to locate the strike zone in the second inning, loading the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch and seemed poised to chase Harrison. The Cajuns lefty kept the hosts from pulling away as he registered strikeouts of Cameron Bentley and Ben Crumpton to hold the deficit at 1-0.

Butler rewarded Harrison for his efforts by lifting a two-run home run over the left field wall with two outs in the third inning to pull the Cajuns in front 2-1. The blast came after UALR starter Cameron Allen hit Conrad to keep the inning alive.

The first three Cajuns reached base in the fourth inning capped off by a Daniel Nichols double which scored Tyler Frederick (reached on error) for a 3-1 lead and gave UL runners at second and third base with no outs.

UL's chance at opening a sizeable lead was foiled when Chris Sinclair flied into a triple play. Bourque was thrown out at home attempting to tag from third base and Nichols was caught oversliding at third base on an attempt to advance on the throw from left field.

Two more free passes ended Harrison's outing in the fourth inning and the Trojans swung the momentum to their side plating four runs getting an RBI single from Clark and three-run home run by Bentley off of Matt Hicks.

Another free pass by Cajuns pitching started the bottom of the fifth inning as Zimmermann walked Rountree who later scored on a Parma single through the left side and UALR led 6-3.

The Cajuns began chipping away at the UALR lead in the sixth inning as a pair of two-out hits, a Frederick double and Bourque single, resulted in a run which ended Allen's outing and turned the game over to the bullpen.

BASES NOTED: The Cajuns bats produced 10 base hits, marking the sixth time in the past eight hits the offense reached double digits in hits…Dylan Butler extended his current hitting streak to eight games which is one shy of his season-best streak of nine games set March 3-16…Brian Bowman, Tyler Girouard and Daniel Nichols each stretched their season-best hitting streaks to six games…The nine walks allowed by Cajuns pitchers tied a season-high (9 vs. FIU on April 15)…The series win by UALR ended a string of 10 consecutive series wins by the Cajuns over the Trojans…Louisiana still holds a commanding 46-15 lead in the all-time series which includes a 23-10 mark at Gary Hogan Field…The Cajuns played their 16^th one-run game of the season and are now 8-8 in one-run games…Chase Compton posted two hits to move into a tie with Ryan Leonards for the team lead with 15 multiple-hit games…Cajuns pitchers made it 27 straight games holding the opposition to single digits in runs and the 42^nd time in 43 games in 2012…The home run by Tyler Girouard in the seventh inning was his first collegiate home run.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Back-and-Forth Series Finale Finishes in UALR's Favor

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