Cajuns Shutout Panthers In Doubleheader At The Tigue

Contact: Jeff Schneider

LAFAYETTE, La. – After dropping the opening game of the series, the 14th ranked Ragin' Cajuns baseball team bounced back to shutout Eastern Illinois in a doubleheader on Saturday at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

Louisiana (2-1) won a tightly contested 1-0 game to start off the day, and then came back to rout the Panthers (1-2) in the evening contest, 13-0, fueled by an 11-hit effort.

"The guys turned things around today," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "It's not easy to win both games in a doubleheader, but we were able to get it done. Our players didn't panic and stayed calm, and as a result we picked up a couple wins."

The Cajuns got a couple quality starts out of newcomers Carson Baranik and Greg Milhorn in their debuts. Baranik threw 7.1 scoreless innings while striking out eight with two walks and limited EIU to just one hit. Milhorn followed Baranik's stellar outing by going 6.0 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and a walk.

"Both Baranik and Milhorn had all three pitches working today and it really bought out hitters some time," Robichaux added. "Those guys came out and dominated on the mound. All three of our starting pitchers this weekend came out and had good efforts."

Matt Borens was tabbed with the loss for EIU in the first game as he matched Baranik limiting the Cajuns to one run in six innings with seven strikeouts. In the second game, Christian Slazinik was touched up for six runs (four earned) in four innings of work to pick up his first loss of the season.

Jace Conrad led the Cajuns at the dish going 3-for-6 on the day with two RBIs, a home run and a walk. Mike Strentz bounced back in the second game to go 3-for-6 with an RBI and scored a couple runs, while Ryan Leonards, Ryan Wilson and Kyle Clement each brought in a pair of runs in the second game.

In the first game, Conrad gave the Cajuns their first lead of the season driving the first pitch he saw in the third inning over the wall in right field to make the score 1-0.

Both teams would go scoreless over the final six frames as Louisiana picked up its first shutout of the season.

Seniors Matt Hicks and Wilson preserved the shutout for the Cajuns going a combined 1.2 scoreless innings as Wilson earned his first save of the season and second of his career in the game.

Conrad did it again in the second game putting the squad in front 1-0 in the bottom of the third on a RBI single to left center.

The Ragin' Cajuns added a run in the bottom of the fourth when Blake Trahan came in to score on an EIU error by shortstop Marshawn Taylor.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Cajuns offense exploded for five runs on five hits highlighted by a two-run triple by Leonards. Strentz and Wilson both had RBI singles in the inning.

Louisiana continued the onslaught in the bottom of the sixth adding five more runs on three hits and four walks. Seth Harrison led off the inning with a home run to left. Trahan and Clement both drew bases loaded walks later in the inning, while Nick Thurman was hit by a pitch with the bases full of Cajuns.

Clement capped the scoring for the Ragin' Cajuns in the bottom of the eighth bringing in Wilson to make the final 13-0.

Ben Carter and Reagan Bazar combined to throw 3.0 scoreless innings of relief in the second game to complete the second shutout of the day.

The Cajuns and Panthers close out the series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field. Senior Cody Boutte will make the start for Louisiana. After the EIU game, Louisiana will head up I-49 to Natchitoches, La. to face in-state rival Northwestern State on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Cajuns Shutout Panthers In Doubleheader At The Tigue

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Team Stats

Seth Harrison

Jace Conrad

Ryan Leonards

Tyler Girouard

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