Baseball: Cantrelle Hits for the Cycle in 8-3 Victory Over Northwestern State

Hayden Cantrelle 

The sophomore is the first Ragin’ Cajun to hit for the cycle since 2016 

LAFAYETTE – Sophomore Hayden Cantrelle’s hot bat continued to make noise as he became the fourth player in program history to hit for the cycle in Louisiana’s 8-3 victory over Northwestern State on Tuesday evening.
 
Cantrelle is the first Ragin’ Cajun to accomplish the feat since Stefan Trosclair did so on May 1, 2016 at UTA. Kyle Clement (Jackson State – April 11, 2015) and Tommy Bates (TCU – Feb. 10, 1990) are the only other members of the program to hit for the cycle.
 
"It was a euphoric feeling," Cantrelle said. "It’s not every day that you hit for the cycle. It’s an occasion that I can enjoy with my teammates because they helped put me in this situation. I am going to enjoy the moment for a little while until it’s time to get ready for tomorrow."
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns (10-11, 2-1) outhit the Demons, 12-9, in the ball game, which included three triples, the first time the team had a trio of three baggers since March 17, 2018, at Georgia Southern.
 
Senior Hunter Kasuls knocked a double and a triple in the game and led the team with three RBI, while Alex Hannie, who made the first start of his career on Tuesday night, went 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple and an RBI.
 
Right-hander Connor Cooke (2-0) earned the win with a masterful performance at the plate, pitching 4.0 innings of one-run, three-hit ball and striking out three. Jack Burk earned his first career save after pitching 3.0 innings and allowing a hit.
 
After two early Northwestern State (10-8, 3-3) runs in the first two innings, a two-spot in the bottom of the second with the help of a Kole McKinnon sacrifice fly and Hannie’s triple brought things level at 2-2.
 
The two teams went on to trade runs in the next inning before Louisiana took its first lead of the game off the bat of Kasuls, who smashed a triple down the right field line to score Handsome Monica and Cantrelle and give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 5-3 advantage after five.
 
Cantrelle checked the home run off his list in the seventh inning to extend the team’s lead to 6-3 before completing the cycle in the bottom of the eighth inning with a double to right field. The Ragin’ Cajuns went on to score two more runs in the eight to secure the 8-3 victory.
 
Louisiana will put its three-game winning streak on the line on Wednesday night when it makes the short drive to New Orleans to face off with Tulane. First pitch from Greer Field at Turchin Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m.