Trojans Shock No. 16 Louisiana With Series Win

LAFAYETTE, La. – For the second straight season, Little Rock baseball (8-11, 2-4 Sun Belt) won the season series against No. 16 Louisiana (12-8, 3-3) as it picked up a 7-1 victory on Sunday at M.L. Tigue Moore Field.
 
Sunday's series win marked the first back-to-back series victory against Louisiana since the 2000 and 2001 seasons. This was also the Cajuns' first series loss of the season.
 
"I can't say enough about how proud I am," head coach Chris Curry said. "This was probably our most complete game of the year. I'm a broken record, but it starts on the mound. When this club gets a good start and we're in the game, we feel like we can battle."
 
Freshman Riley Pittman entered Sunday hitless for the year, but he made sure he didn't go another game without one as he went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs.
 
"I'm so proud of Riley Pittman," Curry said. "Coach Fanning and Raley have been working with him, and the talent is starting to ooze out of him. He broke out in a big way on the road."
 
Cameron Knight and Kyle Kirk each went 2 for 3 with Knight scoring two runs and Kirk scoring one.
 
Ryan Scott was 1 for 3 with two RBIs, two intentional walks and a double. He ended the weekend 6 for 12 with 9 RBIs, two home runs, two doubles, four runs and 14 total bases.
 
The game was a pitchers' duel up until the top of the fifth inning. Trojan starter Joe Corbett (3-0) and Cajun starter Nick Lee (3-1) kept hitters honest with limited hits and no runs through the first four innings. But Lee began having trouble with the Trojan hitters in the top of the fifth as he gave up four runs on three hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch. Cameron Knight was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and advanced to second as Kyle Kirk singled through the left side. Zach Baker put down a sacrifice bunt to advance runners into scoring position. Riley Pittman earned his first-career hit with an RBI single up the middle as Knight scored the first run of the game. With runners on the corners, Hayden Martin laid down a sac bunt on the safety squeeze as Kirk scored the Trojans' second run. After Hunter Owens walked on five pitches, Ryan Scott earned his ninth RBI of the weekend with a two-run double to the left-center gap, putting Little Rock up 4-0.
 
The Cajuns had no answers for Corbett in the bottom of the fifth as he earned his sixth strikeout, the most by a Trojan pitcher this season.
 
After a fly out and a double by Knight, Lee was relieved by lefty Hogan Harris. Harris was effective for the Cajuns as he struck out the next two Trojan batters to end the inning.
 
With one out, Corbett gave up a single and a walk to force the Trojans' first pitching change of the afternoon. Reliever Matt McDowell gave up a single to right to put runners on the corners. Joe Robbins scored on a wild pitch for what would be the Cajuns' only run of the game.
 
Little Rock went on to score a run in each of the final three innings. In the seventh, Riley Pittman singled for the second time and was followed by a single to the pitcher. A throwing error allowed Owens to advance to second and Pittman to score. Preston Oberling came on for McDowell in the bottom of the inning and got three quick outs.
 
With two outs and runners in scoring position in the eighth, Pittman connected on his third hit of the day with an RBI single up the middle. Oberling got the Cajuns to go down in order for a second straight inning as the Trojans took a 6-1 lead into the ninth.
 
With bases loaded, Dalton Thomas earned his first hit of the day with an RBI single to right center, extending his hitting streak to 15 games. Cody McGill came on for Oberling in the bottom of the ninth. After getting a ground out, McGill gave up a walk and a single through the left side. With a 2-1 count, Cajun hitter Hunter Kasuls grounded into a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.
 
The last time Little Rock won back-to-back games against a ranked opponent was in 2013 against No. 10 Oklahoma.
 
"Once we get the starting pitching figured out and get three guys on the weekend who can throw strikes and give our defense a chance, I like our club," Curry said.
 
Little Rock returns to midweek action on Tuesday as it faces UAPB at 6 p.m., at Gary Hogan Field.