Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team notched back-to-back shutouts for the first time since the 2014 season as Hogan Harris and Michael Leaumont combined to blank Little Rock 4-0 on Saturday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park to clinch the series.
The victory moves the Ragin’ Cajuns into first place in the SBC West Division past UT Arlington and Little Rock. The Cajuns have won three straight series after coming away empty handed in the first seven weekends.
The Ragin’ Cajuns (22-18, 10-7 SBC) last posted back-to-back shutouts against Alabama on Feb. 28-March 1, 2014 at home. The shutout is the fourth of the season for Louisiana.
Harris went 6.0 innings in the start scattering four hits with three walks and six strikeouts to claim his third win of the season. The left-hander has posted a quality start in back-to-back appearances for the first time this season.
Leaumont added three scoreless innings in relief to record his second save of the year. Leaumont didn’t surrender a hit in the outing with two walks and two strikeouts.
Starter Pablo Ortiz took the loss for the Trojans (20-17, 9-7 SBC) after giving up four runs on five hits in 3.0 innings of work.
Defensively, the Cajuns turned a season-best four double plays in the game. It was the most since March 1, 2016 when Louisiana turned five double plays against New Orleans.
LEADING THE CAJUNS
Senior Kennon Fontenot improved his on-base streak to 20 games going 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored a run. Junior Daniel Lahare also had a pair of hits in the game tallying his third home run of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Louisiana got out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Hunter Kasuls came home to score on a double steal with runners on the corners and one out. Later in the inning, Kole McKinnon plated Fontenot on a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield to increase the advantage to 2-0.
The Ragin’ Cajuns picked up the only other runs in the game in the bottom of the third. Lahare hammered the first pitch he saw from Ortiz over the fence in right field for a solo homer to make the score 3-0. Fontenot brought home the final run of the contest on a two-out RBI single back up the middle.
UP NEXT
Louisiana goes for its second straight series sweep tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Little Rock at Russo Park. Junior right-hander Jack Burk will make the start for the Cajuns and face freshman right-hander Aaron Funk. Fans can listen to the game on News Talk 96.5-FM with Jay Walker and Brad Topham on the call. Live video and stats are available on RaginCajuns.com.
For the latest updates on Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, follow Ragin’ Cajuns baseball on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.