THIBODAUX, La. (Press Release) – Needing to capitalize on a bases-loaded situation with two outs in the top of the eighth inning, junior Sebastian Toro came through with a clutch two-run single that served as the game winner in Louisiana’s 3-1 victory at Nicholls State on Tuesday night.
Since Saturday, Toro leads the Ragin’ Cajuns with a .375 (3-for-8) batting average and four RBI over the three-game stretch.
Louisiana (4-7) has won three-straight games following the victory in Thibodaux and is now 2-3 in two-run games this season. The win was Louisiana’s first road triumph of the year.
Toro was 1-for-4 at the plate on Tuesday, with his lone hit being the game-winning, two-run single. Handsome Monica went 2-for-4, which included his third home run of the season. Orynn Veillon also notched two hits in three at bats.
Jacob Schultz produced a solid start on the mound, pitching 5.1 innings and allowing just one run on two hits while striking out six. Brock Batty relieved Schultz and eventually earned the win with his final line showing 2.2 innings of work with three hits and five strikeouts. Michael Leaumont was credited with the save, striking out the side in the ninth.
After five scoreless innings, Monica led off the sixth with the game’s first run, blasting his third homer of the season over the right-field wall to give Louisiana a 1-0 advantage.
The lead did not last long, though, as Nicholls State answered in the bottom of the sixth when Ethan Valdez laid down a bunt single down the left line that scored Champ Davison, who reached earlier in the inning via a triple.
The Ragin’ Cajuns had a prime opportunity to regain the lead in the top of the eighth when they loaded the bases with no outs, but two quick outs nearly saw that chance fall by the wayside. However, Toro had other plans as he stepped up to the plate and launched a single to right-center field, scoring Daniel Lahare and Gavin Bourgeois and putting Louisiana ahead, 3-1.
Nicholls State came back in the bottom of the same frame and loaded the bases with two outs, but Batty kept his composure and rung up the Colonels’ next batter with the count at 3-2 to get out of the jam. That was as close as the home team got as Louisiana made quick work of Nicholls State in the bottom of the ninth to claim the road victory.
Louisiana returns to action on Wednesday, March 6, when it travels west to Lake Charles to play McNeese State. First pitch from Joe Miller Ballpark is set for 6 p.m.
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