PENSACOLA, Fla. - Louisiana used a pinch-hit, two-run home run and late inning bunting magic to rally from a 3-0 deficit to beat Michigan State, 6-3, at Blue Wahoos Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Michigan State (9-5) got to Louisiana (6-9) in the first inning, mustering up unearned runs on a balk, wild pitch and an RBI ground out.
Following the first inning, Ragin’ Cajuns starting pitcher Brandon Young settled down and at one point sent down eight-straight batters. Young finished with another masterful outing, twirling 6.1 innings, not allowing an earned run and fanning 10 batters.
Young became the first pitcher since Austin Robichaux in 2014 to record three consecutive starts with double-digit strikeouts.
Louisiana added a run in the fourth inning to make the game, 4-1, but used the seventh frame to take the lead.
In the seventh inning, Colton Frank led off with a walk and Alex Hannie followed by tattooing his second triple of the season to right-center, scoring Frank and making the game 3-2 in favor of the Spartans.
Following the Hannie triple, Ben Fitzgerald sent a pinch-hit, two-run home run over the right field wall to give Louisiana a 4-3 lead.
The Cajuns sent Brandon Young to work one batter in the seventh inning. Young was replaced by Brandon Talley, who sent down two Spartans in the bottom of the same inning.
The Ragin’ Cajuns added two more runs in the top of the eighth thanks to the double squeeze. Jonathan Windham placed a bunt down the third base line, scoring Sebastian Toro and Frank, who never stopped running from second base.
Brandon Talley was magnificent in relief, earning his first career save while tossing 2.2 scoreless frames, retiring six Spartans on strikeouts and sealing the 6-3 victory for Louisiana.
The Cajuns will battle conference foe Troy on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Sunday’s game will be televised on Cox Sports Television.
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