Box Score

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Austin Robichaux limited UALR to two hits and struck out a career-high 14 in a complete game effort that guided Louisiana to a 9-2 victory here Friday evening at Gary Hogan Field.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (23-10, 7-6 Sun Belt) taxed UALR ace Chance Cleveland for six runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, the most runs and hits Cleveland allowed all season.

Robichaux began a string of 16 consecutive batters retired after UALR (15-17, 4-9 Sun Belt) scored an unearned run in the second inning to cut the Cajuns lead to 2-1.

The Cajuns put the Trojans away – and ended Cleveland’s night – in the fifth inning when a string of four straight at bats produced four runs for a 6-1 advantage.

Louisiana moved within a game of first place in the Sun Belt standings behind FAU, South Alabama, Troy and WKU all tied for first with an 8-5 league mark.

UL and UALR continue their series on Saturday at 4 p.m. The Ragin’ Cajuns will send Ryan Wilson (3-1, 3.14 ERA) to the mound and he’ll be opposed by UALR’s Blake Huffman.

All nine of the Cajuns runs were produced by the bottom of the lineup and hitters No. 5-9 accounted for the production. Michael Strentz, the five-hole hitter, led the charge with three RBI coming on a pair of doubles.

Robichaux did not yield an earned run to the Trojans and his 14 strikeouts were the most recorded by a Sun Belt pitcher in 2013.

Three consecutive two-out singles led to the Cajuns breaking a scoreless tie in the second inning. Blake Trahan picked up the first hit, moving Tyler Girouard (leaoff walk) to third base, then Chase Compton and Jace Conrad followed with run scoring singles for a 2-0 edge.

The Trojans got a run back in the bottom of the second, scoring an unearned tally when a Dex Kjerstad throw back to the infield following a Sam Vogel single bounced over Trahan’s reach at shortstop.

Cleveland held the Cajuns off the scoreboard the next two innings, but the squad’s ability to get baserunners drove the UALR ace’s pitch count up to 78 after four innings.

Robichcaux struck out five of the next six Trojans hitters to maintain his lead before the offense provided him with beneficial support in the fifth inning.

Singles by Ryan Leonards and Seth Harrison gave UL two runners early in the top of the fifth. Two batters later, Strentz doubled to begin the string of four straight at bats in which the Cajuns plated runs upping the lead to 6-1 and chasing Cleveland off the mound.

Robichaux was provided a 9-1 cushion in his team’s next at bat with two runs scoring on a Strentz double and another on Dylan Butler’s second sacrifice fly of the game.

His string of consecutive Trojans retired grew to 16 straight before Sage Gasaway drew a leadoff walk in the eighth inning. UALR picked up one run that inning, but it was unearned as Gasaway scored from third base on a passed ball.

BASES NOTED: Austin Robichaux’s previous career-high strikeout total was eight set against ULM on March 16 and tied in his start vs. Troy last weekend…Robichaux has tossed back-to-back complete games, allowing only two earned runs over the 18-inning span…Louisiana reached double digits in hits for the sixth time in the past seven games and 19^th time overall…Ryan Leonards extended his current hitting streak to 10 games, a career-best streak…Michael Strentz doubled twice for his 10^th multiple-hit game of the season, marking the first time in his career he’s reached double figures in multi-hit games…Austin Robichaux’s 14 strikeouts were the most by a Cajuns pitcher since Buddy Glass posted 14 in a midweek game with Nicholls State on May 7, 2006…Louisiana snapped a string of consecutive Friday night defeats in a road Sun Belt series…The Cajuns have two chances to pick up their first road Sun Belt series win…Louisiana improved to 47-15 all-time vs. UALR with 44 of the 47 wins coming in the Tony Robichaux era.

LINE SCORE

Louisiana 9, UALR 2 (Apr 12, 2013 at Little Rock, Ark.)

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Louisiana……….. 020 043 000 – 9 11 1 (23-10, 7-6 SUN BELT)

UALR……………. 010 000 010 – 2 2 3 (15-17, 4-9 SUN BELT)

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Pitchers: Louisiana – Robichaux, Austin. UALR – Cleveland, Chance; Rousseau, Chase (5); Allen, Cameron (6); Brown, Matt (7)

Win-Robichaux, Austin (5-2) Loss-Cleveland, Chance (4-5) T-2:46 A-209

Weather: 70, clear skies, NW @ 17 MPH

— Ragin’ Cajuns —