PRESS RELEASE
LAFAYETTE, La. – Senior Kennon Fontenot provided the walk-off winner in the bottom of the 11th inning as the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team defeated Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 to split the season series on Wednesday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
Freshman Michael Leaumont picked up his first collegiate victory for the Ragin’ Cajuns (17-17) a day after claiming his first career save. Leaumont tossed a perfect inning in the 11th to earn the win.
SLU reliever Jared Biddy was handed the loss after giving up one run on three hits in 2.2 innings of work.
LEADING THE CAJUNS
The Cajuns outhit the Lions (24-13) 10-8 in the contest led by senior Zach LaFleur who went 3-for-4. Hunter Kasuls and Gavin Bourgeois each had a pair of hits in the game as Kasuls drove in a game-high two runs. Fontenot extended his on base streak to a team-high 14 games with his hit in the 11th inning.
On the mound, freshman Austin Perrin posted his first quality start of the year limiting Southeastern Louisiana to two runs on six hits in 6.0 innings with a walk and four strikeouts.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Southeastern Louisiana took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Cody Grosse came home to score on a ground ball hit to first base by Kyle Schimpf.
The Lions added to their advantage in the fourth inning on a two-out solo home run down the left field line by Trey Morgan to make the score 2-0.
Louisiana got on the board in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single to centerfield by Bourgeois to cut the SLU lead to 2-1. Later in the inning, Kasuls drove a two-out single up the middle to plate a pair of runs and give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 3-2 edge.
Southeastern Louisiana quickly answered though in the top of the seventh with a sac fly to left field by Trenon Trosclair to knot the game at 3-all.
The Lions threatened in the top of the ninth putting a runner on third base with one out, but senior Dylan Moore got Brennan Breaud to pop out to second base and then had pinch hitter Taylor Schwaner line out to left field to keep the game level.
In the bottom of the 11th, Hayden Cantrelle reached third base with one out on a Kasuls double down the left field line. With Fontenot at the plate, Cantrelle was called out at home on a missed suicide squeeze attempt for the second out of the inning. Despite not converting on the squeeze, Fontenot provided the dramatics sending the game-winning single to right field to score Kasuls from third base and give the Ragin’ Cajuns a 4-3 victory.
UP NEXT
Louisiana returns to action on Friday at 5 p.m. CT as the Cajuns face Appalachian State in the first of three Sun Belt Conference games at Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium. Game two of the series is set for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, while the series finale is on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT.