LAFAYETTE (Press Release) – For the final time this season, the Louisiana Baseball team will play a midweek ballgame when it travels to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, for a showdown with Conference USA foe Southern Miss at Pete Taylor Park. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m.
Midweek contests have been kind to Louisiana (20-23, 8-10) this season, with the Ragin’ Cajuns boasting an 8-5 record in those games, including a 5-2 mark on Tuesdays.
Louisiana took the first meeting between the two teams on Wednesday, March 13, when Colton Frank homered in the bottom of the 12th inning to seal a 6-5 victory. The homer was the first collegiate hit of Frank’s career.
Senior Orynn Veillon was the team’s most prolific performer over the last week, which included a victory over No. 13 Louisiana State, going 7-for-16 at the plate with a home run, two doubles and seven RBI.
Todd Lott continues to lead the way with a .323 (43-for-133) average, while Hayden Cantrelle is tops on the team with 52 hits, 87 total bases and 26 stolen bags, a category in which he ranks 12th nationally. As a unit, the Ragin’ Cajuns rank 31st in the NCAA in home runs (43) and 15th in the nation in the stolen bases (80).
Louisiana has not named a starting pitcher for the contest.
Southern Miss (24-13, 14-4) enters the game on a three-game winning streak after it swept fellow C-USA opponent Charlotte in Hattiesburg. The Golden Eagles outscored the 49ers, 29-10, in the series.
Matt Wallner is the power man for Southern Miss, leading the team with 10 home runs and nine doubles. Bryant Bowen leads the team in batting average, hitting .381 (43-for-133) on the season.
The Golden Eagles will start Cody Carroll (1-0), his first start of the season. Carroll has appeared in 17 games with 32.1 innings pitched and has allowed 16 runs, 15 of which were earned, on 37 strikeouts. He has struck out 30 batters to 10 walks.
Louisiana and Southern Miss will meet for the 51st time on Tuesday, with the Ragin’ Cajuns leading the series, 28-22. Under head coach Tony Robichaux, the team is 18-18 against the Golden Eagles, including a 9-12 mark in Hattiesburg.
