LAFAYETTE, La. – No. 22-ranked UL Lafayette used a pair of solo home runs in the middle innings at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field Friday to pull away from Southeastern Louisiana for a 4-1 win in the opening game of a non-conference series.
Southeastern (25-10) dropped its third-consecutive game, picking up just one hit.
The Ragin' Cajuns (23-11) opened the scoring with an unearned run in the second inning.
Shortstop Brad Antchak singled to center to lead off the inning. Designated hitter Dylan Poncho followed by drawing a walk from Lion starting pitcher
Kyle Cedotal (4-4). Second baseman Brenn Conrad sacrificed both runners into scoring position.
Catcher Nick Thurman tried to push a bunt to score Antchak, but the ball was fielded by Lion catcher
Chris Eades just up the first-base line. Eades caught Antchak in a rundown, retiring the runner after Cedotal chased him down.
Right fielder Derek Herrington chopped a ball to short, but
Brennan Breaud's throw was low and kicked away from first baseman
Jameson Fisher. Poncho scored, but Thurman was thrown out also attempting to score on the play.
Southeastern responded immediately to tie the game.
Eades led off the Lion third with a double off the left-center field wall. He advanced to third on a deep flyout to right field by
Ryan Byers and scored on a sacrifice fly to left off the bat of third baseman
Taylor Schwaner.
The Ragin' Cajuns reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Left fielder Brad Mills doubled off the left-field wall to lead off the third and advanced to third base on a one-out ground out by third baseman Joe Robbins. Mills then scored on a wild pitch.
Conrad smacked a two-out solo home run in the fourth and Robbins led off the sixth with a solo shot to right.
UL Lafayette starting pitcher Gunner Leger (4-2) earned the win, allowing just one run and the single hit to Eades over seven innings of work. He walked and struck out a pair each. Cedotal suffered the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) in 6.1 innings of work.
Saturday's 6 p.m. game will be televised by Cox Sports Television (Charter 324 / 815 HD). Outside CST's viewing area, the game is available on ESPN3, WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. ESPN3 is also available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and Roku. Links for audio, video, stats, a gameday promotions schedule and tickets can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
The game against the Ragin' Cajuns can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through the TuneIn Radio app (search for KSLU). Fans can also keep up with the game through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter.
Saturday the Lions will send sophomore right-hander
Mac Sceroler (5-2, 2.30) to the mound opposite UL Lafayette sophomore righty Wyatt Marks (3-3, 4.22).
Tickets can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by contacting the athletics ticket office at (985) 549-5466 or 1-866-LION-TIX. Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Fridays. The box office at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens one hour prior to the scheduled first pitch.
A limited number of Right Field Box Seats are available for $15 dollars and include access to a picnic table. General Admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3-12) for all individual Lion home games.
Southeastern students are admitted free with a valid university ID card. Students and campus organizations can earn points toward their new Lion Up Loyalty account at any home game by checking in on the mobile app while in attendance.
The middle game of the series is part of Super Lion Saturday. Leading up to the baseball game, Gus O'Krepki will host a tailgate at 3:30 p.m. in the area between the Dugas Center for Athletics and the baseball parking lot. At Saturday's game, fans will have the opportunity to win cash and prizes by playing Bingo at the Ballpark.
As part of Saturday's events, a Grand Prize Ticket Drawdown will be held, with a grand prize of $2,000 up for grabs. During the day, the Lion Athletics Association will draw each ticket that is purchased for the drawdown.
Prizes will be given to the first ticket drawn ($250), 25th ticket drawn ($100), 50th ticket drawn ($125), 75th ticket drawn ($150) and the final ticket drawn ($2,000). Winners will be announced at the baseball game.
Grand Prize Drawdown tickets can be purchased by contacting an LAA board member, a Southeastern head coach or the Lion Athletics Association office at (985) 549-5091. Tickets are on sale for $100.
UL Lafayette 4, Southeastern 1 (Apr 15, 2016 at Lafayette, La.)
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Southeastern........ 001 000 000 - 1 1 1 (25-10)
UL Lafayette.......... 011 101 00X - 4 9 1 (23-11)
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Pitchers: Southeastern - Cedotal, Kyle; Green, Josh(7) and Eades, Chris. UL Lafayette – Leger, Gunner; Carter, Eric (8); Moore, Dylan (9) and Thurman, Nick.
Win-Leger, Gunner (4-2) Save-Moore, Dylan (8) Loss-Cedotal, Kyle (4-4) T-2:08 A-4460
HR ULL – Robbins, Joe (9); Conrad, Brenn (3).
Weather: 77, mostly cloudy, 10 SE
