UL-Lafayette beats LSU in 10

Published 11:00 pm Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Louisiana-Lafayette’s Jonathan Windham (12) watches his walk-off single in the 10th inning to defeat LSU 4-3 Wednesday at Russo Park in Lafayette. At right is LSU catcher Hunter Feduccia.

LAFAYETTE — Louisiana-Lafayette has snapped the losing streak to longtime big brother LSU.

In front of nearly 5,500 vermilion-and-white clad fans, the Ragin’ Cajuns took down the No. 13 ranked Tigers 4-3 in 10 innings. The victory snaps a five-game losing streak to the Tigers and is the first since a rain-shortened win at Alex Box Stadium back in 2014.

LSU (9-5) got things going with some small ball in the opening frame.

With two outs, former Lafayette High star Antoine Duplantis laced a two-out ground-rule double off the right field wall. Beau Jordan then brought home Duplantis with a single. That nearly proved to be the only run that the Tigers needed.

Louisiana-Lafayette (5-7) had a great chance to score in the bottom of the second.

Freshman Hayden Cantrelle led off with a single and was joined on base by Jonathan Windham, who got on due to an infield error. The Cajuns then loaded the bases with a single by Kole McKinnon.

With LSU starter A.J. Labas on a pitch count of 40 pitches, it appeared that Louisiana-Lafayette was ready to break through. The freshman right-hander got out of the jam by striking out the next three batters.

Despite getting no run support, Cajuns lefty Colten Schmidt was doing his part as he kept LSU’s lineup off-balance all game. The senior lefty gave up only one run on five hits, struck out five batters (including the side in the top of the fifth) and at one point retired 11 straight batters in eight innings of work. Schmidt got a no-decision.

The Cajuns finally got things going with some small ball in the bottom of the eighth.

Gavin Bourgeois led off with a bloop single into right field and was joined on the bases after Daniel Lahare reached with a bunt single, and then Kennon Fontenot loaded the bases with a sacrifice bunt.

Hunter Kasuls then laid down a suicide squeeze bunt which dribbled just slow enough to cause LSU pitcher Nick Bush to have to throw to first as his only option. That allowed Lahare to score all the way from second base as he slid past the tag at the plate.

Fontenot scored on a bloop single to center by Cantrell giving the Cajuns a 3-1 lead.

Logan Stoelke came on to close out things in the top of the ninth but after getting the first two batters out, Stoelke walked Hunter Feduccia and then hit Bryce Jordan. Austin Bain came to the plate and was quickly down 0-2 but hit the third pitch to the wall in center field, which brought home two runs.

Louisiana-Lafayette was unable to get anything going in the bottom of the ninth but that would not be the case in the bottom of the 10th.

Lahare led off with a single, followed by a sac bunt from Zac LaFleur and Kasuls drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Bain struck out Monroe Moll but then walked Cantrelle to load the bases.

Jonathan Windham then stepped into the box and swung at the first pitch Bain delivered — a fastball that Windham hit into shallow center field for the game-winning hit.

Louisiana-Lafayette returns to action with a three-game weekend series against South Alabama.