However, thanks to Florida International’s 13-6 win over Arkansas-Little Rock, the Hilltoppers took a step closer to qualifying for next week’s Aeropostale Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Bowling Green. Either a Hilltopper win or UALR loss in the final two games of the weekend will give the Hilltoppers the eighth and final spot in the tournament field.
Of the 11 Cajun runs, 10 crossed the plate with two outs in the inning. Louisiana-Lafayette (35-18, 17-5) started that trend right away, scoring three times in the first two innings — all with two away. In the bottom of the first, Jonathan Lucroy hit a two-run home run off WKU starter J.C. Faircloth. Then in the second, a Matt Hicks two-out single plated Josh Landry to extend the lead to 3-0.
Faircloth posted scoreless two straight scoreless innings, but UL put together another two-out rally in the fifth. After the first two hitters of the inning were retired, a walk and single kept the inning alive. Landry and Jeffries Tatford followed with back-to-back run-scoring singles to right as the Cajuns extended their lead to 5-0.
That would be more than enough support for UL starter Hunter Moody, who blanked the Hilltoppers on four hits through the first seven innings. But the Cajuns added another insurance run in the seventh when Tatford singled home Lucroy stretch the lead to 6-0.
WKU (22-26, 5-16 SBC) finally got to Moody in the eight, mounting a two-out rally of its own. After Corteze Armstrong was hit by a pitch, Scotty Colt singled to put to men on. Jordan Newton followed with his 14th home run of the season to cut the Cajun lead in half. Two more singles made it five in a row for the Toppers, and brought the tying run to the plate. However, Moody was able to get a fly out to end the threat.
UL would put the game away in the bottom of the inning, however, as reliever Bryan Rider surrendered four walks to force in a run with two outs. Tatford then cleared the bases with a three-RBI double— the only hit of the inning — extending the Cajun lead to 10-3. UL again loaded the bases, and a Rider balk forced home the fifth run of the inning to stretch the lead to eight runs.
Moody (11-2) pitched a scoreless ninth inning to register his fifth complete-game victory of the season, allowing three runs on eight hits and striking out six. Faircloth (1-4) gave up five runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings of work in the losing effort.
Dennis Winn and Scotty Colt each had two hits for the Hilltoppers. Tatford finished 4-for-5 with five RBI to pace the Cajuns.
The two teams will continue their series tomorrow (May 19) with a 6:30 p.m. (CDT) first pitch. The series will conclude Saturday at 2 p.m.
