PRESS RELEASE
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Bryant Bowen delivered the walk-off winner for No. 12 Southern Miss in the ninth inning as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team fell to the Golden Eagles 9-8 on Tuesday night at Pete Taylor Park.
Senior Dylan Moore took the loss for the Ragin’ Cajuns (12-16) after giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of work.
Trent Driver claimed the victory for USM (20-7) tossing a scoreless inning in the ninth with two strikeouts.
Louisiana outhit Southern Miss 15-9 in the contest which tied for the most hits in a game this season.
LEADING THE CAJUNS
Junior Daniel Lahare went 3-for-5 and scored a run to lead the Ragin’ Cajuns offensively, while freshman Hayden Cantrelle extended his hit streak to 12 games going 2-for-five with a double, triple and three RBI.
Starter Hogan Harris earned a no decision after allowing just three runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Ragin’ Cajuns scored first in the top of the fourth on a two-out single up the middle by Zach LaFleur to take a 1-0 edge.
Southern Miss quickly answered in the bottom half of the fourth on an RBI single to centerfield by Bowen to tie the game at 1-all.
Louisiana regained the lead 2-1 in the top of the fifth on an RBI double down the left field line by Cantrelle. Later in the inning, Kasuls doubled to centerfield to extend the advantage to 3-1. The Cajuns added two more runs in the inning on singles by Kennon Fontenot and Blake Faecher to make the score 5-1.
Cantrelle extended the lead to 7-1 in the top of the sixth with a two-run triple down the right field line with one out.
The Golden Eagles cut into the lead in the bottom half of the sixth on a two-run homer to left field by Luke Reynolds to make the score 7-3.
Matt Wallner pulled USM within a run at 8-7 in the bottom of the eighth on a grand slam to right field. Later in the inning, Cole Donaldson came home to score on a throwing error by Lahare to tie the contest at 8-all.
In the bottom of the ninth, Southern Miss loaded the bases with one out after a single and two walks. Moore got Hunter Slater to go down swinging for the second out, but in the next at bat Bowen drove a ball into the gap in right center to bring home the winning run for the Eagles.
UP NEXT
Louisiana and Southern Miss return to action tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Pete Taylor Park. Fans can listen to the contest on KPEL 96.5-FM with Jay Walker and Jeff Schneider on the call.
Following the matchup with the Golden Eagles, the Cajuns return home to M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park for a three-game series against UT Arlington starting Friday at 6 p.m.
For the latest updates on Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, follow Ragin’ Cajuns baseball on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.