UL Baseball Drops Middle Game To Troy, 4-1
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun baseball team fell for the first time in Sun Belt Conference action this season, dropping a 4-1 decision to the Troy Trojans on Saturday in Troy, Alabama, in the middle game of a three-game, weekend series.
The win by Troy, coupled with Louisiana's 4-2 over the Trojans in the series opener on Friday night, evens the series at one game apiece, and sets up the rubber game, scheduled for Sunday at 1 o'clock.
The Cajuns got on the scoreboard first, plating an unearned run in the top half of the third inning, when Brian Mills reached on a throwing error, stole second, and later scored on a one-out single off the bat of Hunter Kasuls, giving them a 1-0 lead.
The Trojans answered right back in the bottom half of the frame, scoring two runs, when Brandon Lockridge walked, before Cameron Sanders singled to left.
After both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt, Austin Hulsey grounded to short, scoring Lockridge, and then after a throwing error, scored Sanders as well, giving them a 2-1 advantage.
Troy extended their lead in the bottom half of the fourth inning, scoring two runs with two outs, when Lockridge and Sanders delivered back-to-back singles, before Trevor Davis drove both of them in with a single, to make the score 4-1.
The Cajuns had some traffic over the last five innings, putting two runners on in the 5th, one in the 6th, one in the 7th, and 2 in the 8th, but failed to score, as the Trojans hung on for the 3-run victory.
Troy, who outhit Louisiana, 10-7, was led at the plate by Sanders, who went 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored.
In a losing cause for Louisiana, Steven Sensley went 3-for-4.
Lucas Brown (3-1) was the winning pitcher for the Trojans, tossing a complete game 7-hitter. He allowed only one run, which was unearned, while one and striking out 6.
Wyatt Marks (2-1) suffered the loss for the Cajuns, allowing 8 hits and 4 runs over 3.2 innings of work.
With the victory, Troy improved to 10-7, overall, and 1-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, while Louisiana fell to 9-6, and 1-1, respectively.
You can listen to the third and final game of the series on Sunday on News-Talk 95.6 KPEL-FM, and kpel965.com.