Samford Takes Advantage of Cajuns' Charity, 12-4

Coming into the game at 10-1 and averaging nine runs a game, there was no question Samford was a good team.

But they became really good when the Cajuns gave them lots of charity.

The Bulldogs took advantage of four Cajuns' errors and nine walks to jump out to an early lead and defeat Louisiana (5-9) 12-4 in the first day of action in the Cox Diamond Invitational at Blue Wahoos Stadium in Pensacola, FL.

Cajuns' starter Connor Angel (1-2) worked out of some trouble in the first inning, as did Samford starter Samuel Strickland. But Angel struggled in the second inning as Samford (11-1) scored five runs on three hits, two walks, a hit batsman and a Cajuns' error to take a 5-0 lead. The Bulldogs added three more off Angel and reliever Connor Cooke on a hit and five walks to take an 8-0 lead.

The Cajuns finally got on the board in the fourth on an RBI single by Connor Kimple, scoring Julian Brock who had singled. But the Bulldogs got a pair of unearned runs off Cooke on a two run homer by Towns King in the sixth.

Strickland was outstanding in six innings of work, allowing six hits and a single run. He did not walk a man and struck out eight. On the season he has one walk and 30 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched.

The Cajuns got a run in the eighth on a walk, two hits and an outfield error. Each team scored twice in the ninth, with the Cajuns getting an RBI single from Brennan Breaux and a sacrifice fly from Nick Hagedorn.

Breaux got three of the Cajuns' ten hits in the contest, the only Cajun to collect more than one safety. Tremaine Spears, Hayden Cantrelle and Zeph Hoffpauir all collected doubles for the Cajuns.

Louisiana takes on Michigan State at 3:00 Saturday in the second day of action in Pensacola.