Baseball: Trosclair Provides Walk-Off Winner In 11th Against ULM

Box Score

LAFAYETTE, La. – Senior Stefan Trosclair‘s RBI double in the 11th inning lifted the 19th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team to a 6-5 victory over ULM in extra innings on Friday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
 
The win is the 18th straight for the Cajuns (36-19, 20-9 Sun Belt) over the Warhawks (20-34, 10-19 Sun Belt) in the series. Louisiana is now 4-1 in extra inning game this season, and the squad has now won nine consecutive series and 12 on the year.
 
"The guys stayed calm and grinding all the way throughout this one. So many people were involved in this win." head coach Tony Robichaux said. "The hitters did a good job of providing us with momentum in game one that we were able to carry over to this one. Nick Lee just couldn’t find it today, but everyone else bridged the gap along the way and made big pitches and big plays. We finally got the big lick there at the end."
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns moved one game back of league leader South Alabama going into the final day. Louisiana would need a win against ULM and a Troy victory over the Jags to claim a share of the Sun Belt Conference title and the No. 1 seed in the tournament next week.
 
Trosclair was one of three Cajuns to post three hits on the night despite being outhit 16-13 in the contest. The senior went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double, two triples and two RBI. Joe Robbins and Kennon Fontenot also had three hits in the game.
 
Jacob Stockton led the Warhawks offensively going 4-for-6 with two doubles and an RBI.
 
Jevin Huval (2-1) registered his second career victory tossing two scoreless innings to close out the contest with three strikeouts.
 
ULM’s Anthony Herrera was tagged with the loss after giving up two runs on six hits in 5.2 innings of relief.
 
The Cajuns took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a solo home run to right field by Hunter Kasuls. The homer is the first of Kasuls career.
 
The lead was short lived though as ULM tied the game at 1-all in the top of the second on a solo homer to left by Josh Faciane. Later in the inning, Cade Stone scored on a Lee wild pitch to give the Warhawks a 2-1 lead.
 
Louisiana pulled even in the bottom half of the second when Fontenot tripled to centerfield and then scored on a Bouchey wild pitch.
 
ULM regained the lead 3-2 in the top of the fourth on a Stone RBI double down the left field line. Anthony Herrera added to the lead in the next at bat bringing home Faciane on a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make the score 4-2.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Trosclair pulled the Ragin’ Cajuns within a run an on RBI triple to left center. Trosclair then scored on a wild pitch by ULM reliever Payton Coddou to knot the game at 4-all.
 
Senior Kyle Clement came up with a big play in the top of the sixth as he gunned down Stone at the plate on a Stockton single to centerfield to keep the game level and end the inning.
 
Brenn Conrad gave the Cajuns the lead back in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out RBI single to left field scoring Robbins from second base.
 
Stockton tied the game for the third time on the night in the top of the eighth on an RBI double down the left field line to make the score 5-5.
 
After two scoreless innings, Louisiana put two on with one out in the bottom of the 11th on walks to Kasuls and Clement. Trosclair hammered an 0-1 pitch from Herrera into the gap in left center to bring home Kasuls to win the game.
 
The Cajuns go for the sweep tomorrow at 3 p.m. as it will be Senior Day at The Tigue. Sophomore right-hander Evan Guillory (4-5, 3.46 ERA) will make the start for Louisiana, while ULM has yet to name a starter.
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns will also hold a special graduation ceremony on the field prior to the game as four players will be honored.
 
Fans can listen the game live on News Talk 96.5 KPEL-FM with Jay Walker making the call. Live stats and video are available on RaginCajuns.com.
 
For updates and info on Louisiana baseball, follow the team on twitter @CajunsBaseball or check RaginCajuns.com.