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COLLEGE STATION, Texas-Xavier Alexander’s double into the left-center gap in the bottom of the ninth knocked in the winning run and propelled Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns to a dramatic 5-4 win over Ohio State in first round action at the NCAA College Station Regional on the Texas A&M campus.
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Devon Bourque’s two out single off reliever Rory Meister (4-7) set the table for Alexander, who entered the game in the eighth as a pinch hitter. Alexander lined the first pitch into the gap and Bourque raced home all the way from first, easily beating the throw to the plate.
It looked as though the second-seeded Cajuns might squander another chance in the ninth inning after Nolan Gisclair singled with one out, but was thrown out trying to steal second. Bourque then lined his single, and Alexander delivered his game winner for Louisiana (44-15).
The Cajuns got on the board in the first inning when Josh Logan beat out an infield hit, was sacrificed to second by Matt Hicks, went to third on a wild pitch by Buckeyes’ starter Jake Hale and scored on Jonathan Lucroy’s groundout to short and the Cajuns took 1-0 lead.
The RBI was the 181st of Lucroy’s career, tying him with Damian Grossie for the all time Cajuns record.
Ohio State (37-23) came back against Cajuns starter Danny Farquhar in the third to take the lead. Tony Kennedy led off with a single, and went to second on a single by Cory Rupert. Cory Kovanda’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position before leadoff hitter Jacob Howell singled home Kennedy. Matt Angle’s double up the right center field gap scored two more and gave the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead.
The Cajuns tied the game in the fourth on Gisclair’s two-run homer to center and then took the lead on a single by Bourque, a sacrifice by William Long and a single by Logan to make it 4-3.
But Ohio State came right back in the fifth when Kovanda doubled off the third base bag. Howell bunted safely to third and Angle walked to load the bases and end the day for Farquhar. But reliever Matt Pilgreen (7-0) allowed only one of the inherited runners to score and the game was tied at 4-4, setting the stage for the dramatic ninth.
Pilgreen was sparkling in relief, allowing just four hits in five innings. He didn’t walk a batter and struck out two.
Hale kept the Cajuns at bay through 7.2 innings, as the Cajuns had plenty of chances, but stranded 13 baserunners.
Gisclair had four hits to lead the 13-hit Cajuns attack, while Logan, Bourque and Alexander had two apiece.
The Cajuns will now play Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. against the Texas A&M and Le Moyne winner to be played Friday night.
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