LITTLE ROCK – Despite strong pitching by both sides, a ninth-inning home run by Louisiana was enough to hand Little Rock baseball a 5-3 loss in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at
Gary Hogan Field.
The Trojans (14-26, 6-12 Sun Belt) tallied double-digit strikeouts for the third straight game as they came up with 11 for the afternoon. The Ragin' Cajuns (26-14-1, 13-4-1) put forth the Ks as well as they finished with 12 for the game. Over the course of the three-game series, Little Rock's pitchers won the strikeout battle by a 37-33 margin.
Trojan starter
Chandler Fidel had a career day on the mound as set career highs for strikeouts (nine) and innings pitched (6.2) while allowing one unearned run on three hits, four walks and a hit-by-pitch. Fidel was the third Trojan starter of the weekend to set a new career high for strikeouts. Reliever
Dylan Slayton (3-2) took the loss as he allowed two runs on six hits in the final two innings.
"I thought
Chandler Fidel gave us a great chance to win the game today," head coach
Chris Curry said. "It was what we've been hoping to see out of him against one of the best offenses in the league. He did more than enough to give us a chance to win. Louisiana's pitcher had a really good arm, and we finally got his pitch count up and got into their bullpen."
On the opposite side of the field, the Cajuns' Hogan Harris struck out 10 and allowed one run on three hits and four walks in five innings. Reliever Dylan Moore (1-1) picked up the win as he threw 1.2 innings with one strikeout and nothing allowed.
Cameron Knight had the most efficient day at the plate for Little Rock as he went 1 for 1 with two walks, a hit-by-pitch and an RBI.
Riley Pittman was 1 for 4 with an RBI while
Christian Reyes went 1 for 3.
The Cajuns' Steven Sensley had a monster game for his club as he went 3 for 5 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs. Alex Pinero went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and Kennon Fontenot went 2 for 5 with a run.
Little Rock opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning as Pittman hit an RBI single to right that scored
Dalton Thomas from second.
Quality pitching dominated the second through sixth innings as neither side allowed a run. It wasn't until the seventh that Louisiana scored to tie the game at 1-1. Brad Antchak reached on a Trojan throwing error with two outs, and that allowed Hunter Kasuls to score from second.
Not to be outdone, Little Rock went up by two in the bottom half of the inning thanks to back-to-back Louisiana throwing errors with two outs. After
Hunter Owens singled to short with two outs,
Dalton Thomas reached on a throwing error by the Cajuns' Joe Robbins. Pittman then reached on a throwing error by Antchak, and that allowed Owens to score from second. Knight then hit an RBI single to score Thomas.
The Cajuns' comeback began in the top of the eighth. A bases-loaded two-RBI single by Alex Pinero knotted the game at 3-all. With the bases still juiced after a bunt single, Little Rock turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
After Little Rock went scoreless in the bottom of the eighth, Louisiana got the hit it needed to win in the top of the ninth. With a runner on and one out, Sensley hammered his seventh homer of the season to right to put the Ragin' Cajuns up 5-3.
The Trojans had no answers for the Cajuns' Moore in the bottom of the inning as two ground outs and a strikeout ended the game.
Little Rock will now prepare for its rivalry game against Central Arkansas on Tuesday night at Dickey-Stephens Park. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
