Big Innings Too Much for Blue Raiders

The visiting Ragin' Cajuns (33-16, 15-4) used the big inning to remain in a first-place tie in the Sun Belt with Troy, who defeated Arkansas-Little Rock, 17-11. UL scored six runs in both the fifth and eighth innings, erasing a three-run deficit to take the lead for good.

The Blue Raiders (26-19, 9-9) cut the deficit to 8-6 before the Cajuns erupted for six more runs in the eighth inning.

UL starter Hunter Moody (10-2) picked up the win, allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits in 6.1 innings. The lefthander walked three and struck out five.

Danny Farquhar posted his second save with 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits and striking out five.

Middle Tennessee starter Matt Scott suffered the loss in the second shortest outing of his career. The righthander allowed seven runs on 11 hits in 4.2 innings, striking out three.

Josh Horn was a bright spot for the Blue Raiders, going 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and a double and scoring three times.

Devery Van De Keere was 4-for-6 with three runs scored for UL, while Landry added four hits and four other Cajuns had a pair of hits.

Tatford led off the UL second with a double and moved to third on a bunt from Alex Preciado. But catcher Michael McKenry picked off Tatford at third, ending the scoring chance.

Devon Bourque singled to leadoff the Cajuns third, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by John McCarthy and scored on a two-out double to rightcenter from Van De Keere for a 1-0 UL lead.

The Blue Raiders got on the board in the bottom of the inning, starting with a leadoff double from Horn. Jeff Beachum followed with a walk before a sacrifice bunt by Nathan Hines put runners on second and third. Wayne Kendrick then singled up the middle, scoring both runners for a 2-1 Middle Tennessee advantage.

In the Blue Raider fourth, Marcus Taylor hit a high pop-up in front of the pitcher's mound that everyone converged on. The ball bounced off Devery's glove and Taylor just kept on running, making it all the way to third. With two outs Horn belted a line drive that just cleared the wall in leftcenter, his sixth of the year, for a 4-1 lead.

But UL came right back in the fifth, starting with a leadoff double from Bourque. McCarthy then singled before a wild pitch plated Bourque. Jameson Parker reached on an error and Van De Keere singled through the rightside, loading the bases.

After a flyout, Tatford hammered a pitch over the scoreboard in rightcenter for a grand slam. Preciado followed with his fifth home run of the year, also to rightcenter, for a 7-4 UL edge.

Van De Keere singled with two outs in the sixth and Jonathan Lucroy tripled off the centerfield wall, scoring Van De Keere for an 8-4 UL lead.

Horn led off the seventh with a walk and Beachum followed with a single. Pinch-hitter Dillon Heath singled to center, scoring Horn and ending Moody's day on the mound.

Farquhar struck out Kendrick but McKenry singled over Parker's head at short, plating Beachum, cutting the UL lead to 8-6.

But the Cajuns erupted for six runs in the eighth on six hits, breaking the game open. Van De Keere and Lucroy both singled before an RBI single from Preciado. Landry then hit his fifth homer of the year, a three-run shot. Scott Hawkins followed with a solo shot.

Bourque and McCarthy both walked and Parker's single to right plated Bourque for a 14-6 advantage.

The two teams play again Saturday at 4 p.m. and conclude the series Sunday at 1 p.m.