LAFAYETTE – Timely hitting and quality at bats with two outs in the sixth inning was all Louisiana needed to surge past Appalachian State, 7-4, and even the series on Saturday afternoon at Russo Park.
Entering the frame down 2-1, Louisiana (11-13, 3-2) batted through the lineup and plated all six runs on two hits, a walk and a balk.
Hayden Cantrelle finished the night with three hits, extending his hitting streak to 12 games. The sophomore also added three RBI and a run scored. Brennan Breaux added a hit and an RBI of his own, while Todd Lott and Orynn Veillon each produced a hit to extend their respective hitting streaks to seven games and six games.
Sophomore Austin Perrin (2-2) earned his second win of the season, giving up three runs and striking out four in 6.1 innings pitch. The Ragin’ Cajuns received a solid effort in relief from Connor Cooke, who went 1.2 innings and gave up a run on one hit, and Logan Savoy, who closed out the final frame to earn his first career save.
Appalachian State (9-12, 2-3) got things going early with a run in the top of the first, but an RBI single from Cantrelle plated Kole McKinnon to knot things up at 1-1. That lead did not last long, though, as the Mountaineers took a 2-1 advantage with a double to left.
The bottom of the sixth is when things got going for Louisiana as it tied the game at 2-2 with the help of solid base-running from Hunter Kasuls, who scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Handsome Monica.
With two down in the frame, the Ragin’ Cajuns plated runs on singles by Cantrelle and Breaux, a walk and a balk, to take a commanding 7-3 lead with three innings to play.
Appalachian State made some noise in the ninth when it loaded the bases with one out and then scored on a fielder’s choice to cut the lead to 7-4. That score held, though, as Savoy got the next batter to fly out to end the contest.
It will be an early bird special for Sunday’s game, which is slated to begin at 10:30 a.m. Junior Dalton Horton will get the start for Louisiana, with Appalachain State’s pitcher still listed as TBA.
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