Baseball: Cajuns Surge To 8-3 Win Over Troy To Take Series

Moore Sets School Career Saves Record

Box Score

 TROY, Ala. – The 16th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team surged to an 8-3 win over Troy to take its first Sun Belt series of the year on Sunday at Riddle-Pace Field. Louisiana has won all three of its series this season and its fifth straight Sun Belt opening series.
 
The Cajuns (10-6, 2-1 Sun Belt) outhit the Trojans (10-8, 1-2 Sun Belt) 13-4 in the contest led by junior Alex Pinero who went 4-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and scored twice. Nick Thuman and Derek Herrington also had big days at the plate posting three hits apiece.
 
"We had some good at bats throughout the ball game and got some critical hits at some critical points in the ballgame," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "Nick (Lee) got punched early but was able to bounce back. That’s a good sign when you have a freshman who can do that. He didn’t get scared. He stood up and fought back."
 
Lee improved to 3-0 on the year holding Troy to three runs on three hits in 5.1 innings of work. The freshman struck out two and walked three in the start retiring 14 straight batters in the contest after giving up two early runs.
 
Sophomore Dylan Moore picked up his fourth save of the season and 17th of his career in the game to set a new program career record. Moore tossed a perfect two innings to close out he contest striking out five of the six batters he faced. The right-hander had two saves on the weekend while striking out eight in three innings.
 
"He’s got some great stuff," Robichaux said. "He’s got some unorthodox stuff, and if you just see him one time through the lineup its hard for you to pick it up."
 
Senior Eric Carter was good in relief for the Ragin’ Cajuns tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
 
Troy took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly to left by Austin Hulsey and an RBI single to center by Peyton Fuller.
 
Herrington cut the lead to 2-1 in the top of the second inning scoring Ishmael Edwards on an infield single to first base. Edwards drew a one-out walk and moved to third on a Thurman single and a wild pitch by Hebert.
 
The Cajuns tied the contest at 2-all in the top of the third on an RBI single up the middle by Steven Sensley plating Joe Robbins. Robbins walked to lead off the inning, moved to second on a Hebert balk and then advanced to third on a ball hit to first by Stefan Trosclair.
 
Louisiana would take the lead for good in the top of the fourth on a solo home run down the left field line by Pinero. The home run was the first of the year for the Miami, Fla., native.
 
Following a Thurman double in the next at bat, Herrington drove a triple into the gap in right center to score Thurman and extend the Ragin’ Cajuns edge to 5-2. Brian Mills plated the final run of the fourth for the Cajuns bringing Herrington home on a ball hit to second base to make the score 6-2.
 
The Trojans cut the lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Fuller that slid just inside the third base bag with two outs.
 
Mills singled home a run with two outs in the top of the eighth to extend the Louisiana advantage back to three runs.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns plated the final two runs of the game in the top of the ninth on a safety squeeze by Hunter Kasuls and an RBI single up the middle by Pinero to make the final 8-3.
 
The Cajuns return to action on Wednesday at 6 p.m. as the team closes out its five-game road swing in Natchitoches, La. against Northwestern State. Following the matchup with the Demons, Louisiana will host Little Rock from March 18-20 at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field in the Sun Belt home opener.
 
For updates and info on Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, follow the squad on twitter @CajunsBaseball or check RaginCajuns.com.