State college roundups

SUN BELT

LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE 7, UALR 0

Louisiana-Lafayette starter Carson Baranik and two relievers gave up a combined eight hits but the Ragin’ Cajuns (32-4, 12-1 SBC) still managed to shut out UALR (13-18, 3-10) on Friday night in the opening game of their three-game Sun Belt Conference series at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field in Lafayette, La.

Louisiana-Lafayette scored once in each of the first five innings and twice in the seventh as the Cajuns finished with nine hits.

The Ragin’ Cajuns manufactured arun in the first as Seth Harrison came around to score after reaching on a bunt single, and Evan Powell’s home run in the second made it 2-0.

Louisiana-Lafayette tacked on another run in the third and broke open the game with single runs on the fourth and fifth to take a 5-0 lead, which was more than enough for Baranik (8-0), who allowed only 5 hits with 6 strikeouts and 2 walks over 6 innings.

Chris Griffitt allowed one hit in a third of an inning, and Matt Plitt gave up 2 hits while striking out 4 in 2 1/3 innings to close out the victory.

Travis McDonald (2-4) allowed 5 runs (all earned) off 8 hits and 4 walks over41/3 innings. He struck out three.

Ben Crumpton, Ryan Scott and Drew Merten all went 2 for 4 for UALR.

SOUTH ALABAMA 5, ARKANSAS STATE 0

South Alabama (16-17, 5-7 SBC) handed Arkansas State (18-16, 8-5) its fourth shutout of the season in the opening game of their three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Stanky Field in Mobile, Ala.

Starter Locke St. John (4-1) gave up 3 hits and struck out 2 over 7 innings.

Matt Burgess, Zach Maggio, Kaleb Brown and Austin Baker accounted for all of ASU’s hits, all singles. Burgess, Kaleb Brown and Eric Wilcoxson were the only ASU runners to advance past first base off St. John, who was never pressured on the night and was able to work quickly throughout his outing.

The Jaguars had nine hits, including four off David Owen (4-2) in the first inning. Owen gave up 5 runs on 7 hits with 5 strikeouts and lasted only 2 1/3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.

South Alabama scored three runs with two outs in the first inning after Owen gave up four consecutive singles, including a two-run single to Matt Wojcienchowski.

The Jaguars extended the lead to 4-0 with a run in the second inning after Hayden Jones reached an error by third baseman Lucas Feddersen and came around to score on a single by Cameron Cummings.

South Alabama tacked on its final run in the third inning after Owen gave up a lead off double to Wojcienchowski and then allowed him to score on an RBI single by Drew LaBounty.

SOUTHLAND

NICHOLLS STATE 4, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 0

Nicholls State (18-18, 9-4 SLC) took the lead in the first inning and never let go of it as the Colonels shut out Central Arkansas (17-14, 6-7) on Friday in Thibodaux, La.

Nicholls State used a hit and a Central Arkansas error to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Second baseman Philip Lyons reached on an error and scored two batters later on designated hitter Justin Smith’s single left field.

The Colonels added two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Shortstop Leo Vargas’ single up the middle drove in Justin Holt and Keith Cormier’s double to right field drove in Vargas to make it 3-0.

Nicholls State added an insurance run in the eighth inning when Vargas doubled to left field, stole third and scored on a throwing error.

Taylor Bird (5-2) held the Bears to 4

Sports, Pages 25 on 04/12/2014

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