In a game that was delayed and moved to Riddle-Pace Field at Troy due to weather, Louisiana staved off elimination by defeating Coastal Carolina 5-4 in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament. It was the Ragin’ Cajuns’ fourth win in five attempts this season over the Chanticleers.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Louisiana got on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning.
Blaze Rodriguez drew a one-out walk, and then Maddox Mandino reached on a fielder’s choice, while Rodriguez advanced to second on a throwing error. Lee Amedee drew a walk to load the bases with only one out.
Colt Brown hit a double to deep right field that brought home two runs, and then Drew Markle’s single to right field brought home Brown.
In the fourth, Matt Degg’s squad added another run and did so with two outs. Rodriguez was hit by a pitch, and then Mandino drove him in with a double to right-center field.
Coastal Carolina responded by plating two runs in the bottom frame as Rex Watson hit a RBI double, and then Trace Mazon followed up with a RBI single.
The Chanticleers got to Andrew Hermann again in the bottom of the eighth.
Blake Barthol led off with a double to right and then scored on a double by Walker Mitchell. After getting Watson to strike out, Hermann gives up a single to Mazon, which scored Mitchell. Hermann managed to get Blagen Pado and Domenico Tozzi to strike out to end the inning.
Louisiana brought in Cody Brasch to close out things in the ninth.
After getting the first two hitters he faced out, Brasch got into trouble as he walked Dean Mihos and then gave up a single to Barthol, who then stole second base to put the winning run on second base.
Brasch got out of the jam and sealed the victory by striking out Mitchell.
BIG NUMBER: 100
Louisiana’s Andrew Hermann struck out Rex Watson in the bottom of the sixth inning, which was his 100th strikeout of the season. He became the first left-handed pitcher with 100 strikeouts in a season since Justin Gabriel accomplished the feat in 2002.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: ANDREW HERMANN
Despite having thrown 90 pitches two days prior, Hermann came up big for the Ragin’ Cajuns in relief. The powerful lefty gave up two runs on four hits in five innings of work while striking out nine Chanticleers.
UP NEXT: No. 7 seed Louisiana (36-22) will take on Texas State on Saturday in the semifinals. First pitch is set for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday from Riddle-Pace Field.
