LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE AND FURMAN SPLIT GAMES IN DOUBLEHEADER
LAFAYETTE- Matthew Betsill and Steven Hildreth both went 2-for-4 with a RBI to lead Furman to a 6-3 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette in the first game of a doubleheader. The Cajuns took the second game 9-2.
A three error fifth inning was the difference in game one of today’s doubleheader
against the Furman Paladins at Moore Field.
In the fifth, Furman’s Nick Wajda reached second on an infield error before
Andrew Green singled to put baserunners on the corners with no outs. Wajda scored
on a throwing error before Green crossed on the third error of the inning for
the Cajuns. Green’s run brought the Paladins lead to 6-2.
Kraig Schambough took the loss for Louisiana-Lafayette as the Cajuns loss their
sixth game of the season and their first at home this season. Schambough (2-1)
went eight innings giving up four earned runs on eight hits and striking out
eight.
Sam Perry got the win for the visiting Furman Paladins (5-10). Perry (1-0)
pitched five innings surrendering two earned runs on three hits while striking
out a pair of Cajuns.
Green reached first on a bunt and swiped second to start the first before moving
over to third on a ground out to short. Green crossed the plate on a sacrifice
fly to right center that had two of the Cajuns outfielders crossed up.
Adam Massiatte singled to left and stole second to start the bottom of the
third before Josh Landry took Perry deep to right center and gone, giving the
Cajuns the 2-1 lead.
Craig Caudill hit a single through the right side to open the top of the fourth
before Derek Norman singled to put baserunners on the corners for the Paladins.
Caudill came in to score on Mathew Betsill’s single to the second base
side knotting the contest at two apiece. In the same inning, A.J. Hildreth bunted
for a single that brought in a run giving Furman back the one-run lead. Betsill
stole third and scored on a
fielder’s choice to second which put Furman ahead 4-2.
Micah Cockrell doubled to center before Massiatte reached on an error moving
the lead runner to third. Justin Merendino plated Cockrell on a fielder’s
choice cutting the Furman lead in half 6-3.
Schambough sat the Paladins down in order in both the sixth, seventh and eighth
stanzas.
Cockrell reached base on a Paladins error in the bottom of the seventh before
advancing 90 feet on a Massiatte single to right center. The Cajuns; however,
would not convert any runs in the inning stranding the two on base.
Betsill singled to left field to start the top of the ninth just before Thad
Montgomery came on in relief of Schambough. Montgomery retired the next three
batters in order to get out of the inning.
Calvin Hurst came on for the final 1.1 innings to seal the victory for the Paladins, earning his fifth save of the year.
The tides would turn for the Cajuns in game two of the doubleheader. UL Lafayette
pounded out twelve hits and converted three runs in both the second and sixth
innings en route to a 9-2 victory. The Cajuns improved to 10-6 with the showing
in the seven-inning affair.
Cajuns starter Josh Kohrs got the win as the Cajuns improve to 10-6 on the
season. Kohrs (2-0) pitched the full seven innings surrendering two runs on
six hits while retiring eight batters at the plate.
Furman starter Kyle Funk (1-2) took the loss for the Paladins pitching three
and two-thirds innings allowing five runs on eight hits.
Dallas Morris knocked a bloop that fell for a double to the right side with
two gone in the bottom of the first. Coach Tony Robichaux put on the hit and
run with PhillipHawke at the plate, which scored Morris giving the Cajuns the
early 1-0 advantage.
Micah Cockrell reached second on an error and advanced to third on a Leonard Guerrero single to right in the bottom of the second. Justin Merendino stepped in and turned on a 1-2 pitch driving it deep to left field and gone pulling the Cajuns ahead 4-0.
The three-run shot was Merendino’s second homerun of the season.
In the same inning, Josh Landry singled to left and moved to second when Dallas
Morris was plunked by a pitch. A double steal put runners on second and third,
but the Cajuns would have to settle for three runs in the inning as Funk pitched
out of the jam.
Furman shortstop A.J. Davidiuk singled to left before swiping second with no
outs in the top of inning three, but Kohrs would strike out the next three ending
the inning.
In the fourth, Derek Norman roped a single to center before the next batter,
Dominic Franchini singled to the left side putting runners on first and second.
MathewBetsill walked to load the bases with no outs. Norman scored on a double
play, which also put Franchini at third. Franchini crossed the plate on a StevenHildreth
single to second base pulling the Paladins to within two.
Landry doubled down the left field line and scored when Morris followed suit
with a stand-up double of his own all with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.
Landry’s run represented the fifth of the game for UL Lafayette.
Funk was pulled in favor of Matt Klinker who got the last out in the inning
for Furman.
Rodriguez started the bottom of the fifth with a single to center field before
Brad Saloom walked on four straight offerings from Klinker. Adam Massiatte laid
down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Cockrell walked
to load the bases. Guerrero singled up the middle, plating Rodriguez bringing
the score to 6-2 favoring the home team. Guerrero’s single chased Klinker
from the game in favor of Dan Washmuth.
Justin Merendino turned on a 1-2 pitch from Washmuth and singled into center
driving in two more for the Cajuns.
Louisiana-Lafayette added one more when Morris walked with no outs to open
the bottom of the sixth and came around to score on a throwing error after Hawke
jammed a single to left.
Furman returns to action on Wednesday when the Paladins travel to face UNC
Asheville in a 2:00 p.m. contest.