Baseball: Cajuns Baseball Rallies In Ninth To Knock Off Rice, 7-6

HOUSTON, Texas – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth inning to erase a 6-2 deficit and gut out a 7-6 win over Rice in the opening game of the Houston Regional on Friday at Cougar Field.
 
The Cajuns (40-21) trailed 6-2 going into the ninth after the Owls (35-21) after a two-run double from centerfielder Ryan Chandler, but plated four runs before recording an out in the ninth before a sacrifice fly from shortstop Blake Trahan for the first and final Cajun lead of the day.
 
"They got a couple of early ones on us, but we stayed away from the three-run inning, which is something we want to do as a pitching staff," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "Our hitters do a good job, and have done a great job all season. The hitters did a great job of not letting them use their momentum against them. They lost track of the strike zone a little bit. We were able to get a hit here and a hit there and finally get the lead and get the game to Dylan Moore. I’m proud of these seniors and their leadership. They are grinders and didn’t quit. They grinded their way through it and we are fortunate to have won that game."
 
Louisiana got three hits from left fielder Evan Powell and three RBI from first baseman Greg Davis, including a two-run single in the ninth. Will Bacon moved to 6-2 with the win after tossing 3.2 innings of relief of starter Wyatt Marks. Marks allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in 4.1 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
Freshman right-hander Dylan Moore set a new school record with his 12th save of the season with a perfect bottom of the ninth.
 
"I’m proud of the record for D-Mo," Robichaux added. "For him to do that as a true freshman is something special."
 
The win, which is the sixth straight for Louisiana, advances the Cajuns into the winners bracket to play the winner of top-seeded Houston and Houston Baptist on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at Cougar Field.
 
Austin Orewiler took the loss for the Owls, falling to 5-2, after allowing two runs in the ninth without recording an out. Rice starter Blake Fox held the Ragin’ Cajuns to two runs on four hits in 6.1 innings.
 
Rice broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth as right fielder Charlie Warren scored on a sac fly to centerfield by first baseman Connor Teykl. Later in the inning, second baseman Ford Stainback came home on a passed ball with two outs to give the Owls a 2-0 advantage.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Rice added another run on a squeeze bunt by third baseman Grayson Lewis to make the score 3-0.
 
The Cajuns got on the board in the top of the sixth on a two-out double driven inside the third base bag by third baseman Joe Robbins to cut the Owls lead to 3-1.
 
Louisiana pulled within a run in the top of the seventh when a single from Girouard and a double from Powell set things up for Davis who plated Girouard with a ground ball to third.
 
But the Owls got the run back in their half of the seventh on an RBI single from Grayson Lewis and added two more one inning later when Chandler lined a double into the left-field corner to up the lead to 6-2.
 
The rally inning opened when Kyle Clement reached on a wild pitch on a swinging third strike, followed by a pair of walks to Stefan Trosclair and Tyler Girouard. Powell then delivered his third hit of the day, an RBI single to left field and Davis followed with a rocket single to center to plate a pair and cut the Owl lead to 6-5.
 
Louisiana loaded the bases once again one batter later when catcher Nick Thurman reached on a throwing error on an attempted sacrifice bunt, setting up right fielder Dylan Butler who drew a five-pitch walk to knot things at 6-6. Trahan then put the Cajuns up 7-6 one batter later with a sacrifice fly to center on an 0-2 pitch to center field.
 
For updates and info on Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, follow the team on twitter @CajunsBaseball or check RaginCajuns.com.