LAFAYETTE – A four-run second inning from South Alabama got the game off to a rocky start, but eight unanswered runs by the Louisiana offense saw the game swing in its favor as the Ragin’ Cajuns took Game Two of the series over the Jaguars, 8-4, on Saturday afternoon.
For the second time this season, the Ragin’ Cajuns (18-20, 7-7) were able to complete a comeback of more than four runs, the first coming on March 16 at Little Rock when the team overcame a five-run deficit to earn a 16-10 win.
Senior Kole McKinnon produced just one hit on Saturday, but came up big throughout the contest with four RBI. Orynn Veillon andTremaine Spears each went 2-for-3 at the plate, with Spears scoring three runs, while Hunter Kasuls batted in two runners on one hit.
On the hill, junior Brandon Young (2-3) followed up his 13-strikeout performance a week ago with nine against the Jaguars and allowed just four runs, three of which were earned, on four hits en route to his second win of the season. Caleb Armstrong and Gunner Leger each went 2.0 innings to close out the game, combining to allow four hits and no runs.
South Alabama (15-19, 5-9) got off to quick start, scoring four runs on a double, a fielding error and an infield single to take an early 4-0 lead in the second inning. McKinnon helped the Ragin’ Cajuns pull a run back in the bottom of that same frame, flying out to center to allow Spears to score and cut the lead to 4-1.
The momentum of the contest swung in Louisiana’s favor in the fifth inning when five runs came across the plate with the help of two hit by pitches, a wild pitch and a two-run, ground-rule double off the bat of Kasuls to propel the home team into a 6-4 lead.
McKinnon added two insurance runs with one swing of the bat in the fifth, singling to left field to plate Spears and Handsome Monica to push out the advantage. From there, Armstrong and Leger guided the team through the final four innings, not allowing any runs to secure the 8-4 triump.
The two teams will battle for the series victory on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Fans unable to attend the game can catch all the action on RaginCajuns.com/Watch.
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