Cajuns Drop Opener as Blue Raiders Benefit From Unearned Runs

Contact: Matt Hebert

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MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee plated three unearned runs which led to a 4-2 victory that spoiled an outstanding pitching effort by Louisiana's Jordan Nicholson Friday evening at Reese Smith, Jr. Field in the Sun Belt series opener between the two clubs.

Nicholson scattered seven hits over eight innings and averaged just 12 pitches per frame as he provided the Ragin' Cajuns (21-27, 9-16 Sun Belt) a chance to capture a key win.

The three unearned runs combined with eight runners left on base left resulted in UL's fourth consecutive defeat and kept Nicholson winless since a March 16 victory over La.-Monroe.

Due to expected inclement weather on Sunday, the two teams will wrap up the series on Saturday with a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

Jordan Cooper tossed 6 2/3 innings of five-hit baseball for the Blue Raiders (27-23, 13-12 Sun Belt) to match Nicholson and maintain a 2-0 lead his team provided him in the second inning. He held on for the victory despite issuing five walks to Cajuns batters.

Louisiana nearly pulled into a tie in the seventh inning. A two-out double from Daniel Nichols scored Chris Sinclair, who started the rally with a single, to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Jace Conrad, who walked after Sinclair's single, rounded third base only to be thrown out at the plate by shortstop Ryan Ford on the relay throw from left fielder Jordan Rorex.

Nicholson nearly erased a leadoff double from Robert Lawrence after inducing a pop fly (Ryan Stephens) to shallow right and fly out (Rorex) to left field. The Blue Raiders would get their third unearned run of the game, when Lawrence broke for third base and scored on an errant throw by Sinclair.

Back-to-back walks and a fielder's choice grounder gave the Cajuns runners on the corners with two outs in the eighth inning. Joey McClung retired Tyler Girouard on one pitch to end the scoring chance, then came back in the ninth and retired the side to close out the MT victory.

Friday's game marked the first regular season game for the Cajuns in Reese Smith, Jr., Field since the 2008 season.

The Blue Raiders grabbed an early lead, plating a pair of unearned runs in the second inning.

Lawrence reached base on a passed ball after a Nicholson strike out, then scored when a shallow single to right field off the bat of Stephens was kicked over to left center field by Dylan Butler. A Rorex squeeze bunt allowed Stephens to cross home plate with the second run.

Nicholson returned to his early groove, as a double play ended the third inning and he retired the side in the fourth and fifth inning.

The deficit was cut in half in the top of the fifth inning after Logan Preston led off with a single through the right side, moved to second on a Girouard sacrifice and scored when Brian Bowman singled to left field.

Bowman stole second base – his second stolen base of the contest – to get the tying run into scoring position. He wouldn't advance any further as Cooper induced a foul out from Sinclair and a fly out from Conrad.

Cooper stranded two Cajuns in the sixth inning to maintain the lead. With two outs, Chase Compton singled and Jordan Bourque walked, but a Preston to foul out closed the frame.

The Blue Raiders regained a two-run cushion in the bottom of the sixth, getting a tally on a two-out, run-scoring single by Trent Miller.

BASES NOTED: Brian Bowman became the first Cajun since Alex Fuselier in 2010 to reach 20 stolen bases when he collected a swipe in the third inning…His second steal of the contest, in the sixth inning was his 21^st of the season marking the most by a Cajun since John Coker posted 29 steals in 2005…Since a win over La.-Monroe in the Sun Belt opener on March 16, Jordan Nicholson has had to settle for five losses and three no-decisions…UL's four-game losing streak is the longest since the season-high, eight-game slide from March 24-April 6…During the four-game losing streak, the Cajuns have surrendered 13 unearned runs…The Cajuns have been involved in 28 games decided by two runs or less, and sports a 14-14 record in those contests…Jace Conrad fielded four chances flawlessly, extending his current string of consecutive errorless chances to 60…Despite the defeat, Jordan Nicholson collected his team-leading eighth quality start as he allowed only one earned run over eight innings…Cajuns pitching has held the opposition to single digits in 46 of 48 games this season…Tyler Girouard's sacrifice bunt in the sixth inning tied him with Tyler Frederick for the team lead with nine…It also moved UL to 52 sacrifice bunts for the season, moving within seven of the school record 59 set last season…The loss was only the second to Middle Tennessee in the past 12 regular season meetings…UL still holds a commanding 23-11 lead in Sun Belt regular season games…The Blue Raiders won the series opener for the second straight season (took the Friday contest 3-1 last season at “The Tigue”).

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Cajuns Drop Opener as Blue Raiders Benefit From Unearned Runs

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