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Baseball: Frederick Delivers, Louisiana Sweeps MT
www.ragincajuns.com – Louisiana used a two-run home run from Tyler Frederick and received stellar pitching efforts from a trio of pitchers to post a 2-1 win in the second game of a doubleheader with Middle Tennessee Saturday afternoon at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field and complete a three-game series sweep.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (28-16, 13-8 Sun Belt) – who had already picked up a series victory for the fourth consecutive weekend with a win in game one of the twinbill – posted their third straight Sun Belt series sweep. UL has now won nine consecutive SBC contests.
The sweep also moves the Ragin’ Cajuns into contention for the Sun Belt regular season title. UL is currently in sole possession of third place and only two games behind South Alabama for first place with nine games remaining.
UL extended its regular season win streak over MT (26-18, 14-10 Sun Belt) to eight games and improved to 21-9 in SBC regular season action against the Blue Raiders.
Frederick’s home run, which came in the second inning, was his second of the doubleheader and proved to be all the offense the Cajuns would need.
Michael Cook turned in his second-longest outing in SBC play pitching five innings while holding the Blue Raiders to one earned run and five hits. Cook fanned four batters.
Taylor Hubbell worked the rest of the sixth inning after Cook was relieved following a Justin Jones double and did not allow a hit while working around one-out walk.
Dayton Marze closed out the game by tossing the final three innings to earn his second save of the season.
Louisiana has a week off from game action as the University administers final exams. The team will be back in action Friday-Sunday, May 7-9 in New Orleans against the Privateers at Maestri Field.
MT was able to keep the game close by getting an outstanding pitching performance from Eric Gilley. Outside of the Frederick home run he allowed no runs and only two hits over six innings.
The Blue Raiders made the Cajuns work for the sweep, though, getting traffic on the basepaths in the final two innings.
Stuart Meinhart was hit by a pitch from Marze to lead off the eighth then on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Tyler Burnett, Marze slipped while fielding the ball allowing Burnett to reach first base. Justin Miller then moved pinch runner Will Skinner and Burnett to second and third
MT attempted a squeeze bunt with Tyler Acker at the plate, but he couldn’t make contact and Chad Keefer and Frederick were able to catch Skinner in a rundown between third base and home plate. Acker then struck out looking to end the threat.
In the ninth, MT would get a baserunner with one out when Zach Hudson reached on a throwing error by Frederick. Marze was then able to induce a double play ball off the bat of Blake McDade to end the game – the sixth double play that the Blue Raiders grounded into in the series.
BASES NOTED: Tyler Frederick ended the doubleheader 2-for-4 with three runs scored, two home runs and four RBI…The Cajuns pitching staff earned a save in each end of the doubleheader, increasing the season total for saves to nine…Dayton Marze picked up his second three-inning save, his other coming at UALR on Saturday, April 17…The Cajuns pitching staff ended the series with a 2.00 ERA…The UL bullpen tossed 7 1/3 innings of scoreless, four-hit relief on Saturday.
LINE SCORE
Win-Cook, Michael (3-2) Save-Marze, Dayton (2) Loss-Gilley, Eric (4-2) T-2:33 A-1348
— Ragin’ Cajuns —
Matt Hebert Cox Communications Athletics Center Office: (337) 482-6330
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