Cajuns Beat Top Ranked Tigers In Rain Shortened Ballgame

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun baseball team traveled to Baton Rouge Tuesday night with one goal in mind, winning. Mission accomplished.

Tenth ranked Louisiana topped #1 LSU Tuesday night 4-1, but in a rain shortened contest. Lightning struck in the top of the 6th. The Cajuns were working with a 3 run lead, runners at 1rst and 2nd, and Jace Conrad at the plate. Once the game was in a weather delay, the rain and lightning picked up, leading to officials to eventually call the game.

In a non-conference matchup, once 5 complete innings have been played, the game is considered final if it is called. As a result, the Cajuns improve to 8-1 on the season, while the Tigers suffer their first defeat, falling to 7-1.

The victory for the Ragin' Cajuns is the first over the #1 ranked team in the country since 2000, when Louisiana defeated South Carolina in the 2000 Columbia Super Regional. It also is the highest ranked LSU squad the Cajuns have defeated, surpassing the 2009 victory in Baton Rouge when the Tigers were ranked 3rd.

Neither coach was happy about the game being cut short, but both understood it was beyond their control.

"We played well for the length of time that we had to play. It's a shame that two good teams didn't get a chance to play it out, but we will take it," said UL head coach Tony Robichaux. "We made plays when we needed to, especially with the length of the game in jeopardy."

Offensively, the Cajuns combined for 6 hits, including an RBI triple by Seth Harrison (pictured) in the third inning. One batter late, Blake Trahan brought Harrison home on a sacrifice fly to left.

In the top of the 4th, Louisiana added a 3rd run when Jace Conrad's single scored Michael Strentz. One more run was added in the top of the 6th shortly before the lightning struck, as Ryan Wilson scored off a Tyler Girouard single.

Greg Milhorn (2-0) earned the victory, pitching all 5 innings, allowing only 1 run on 4 hits.

"It’s a strange feeling to lose a game when you don’t get to play the full nine innings, but those are the rules of baseball," said LSU coach Paul Mainieri. "I never expected us to go 56-0 this season, and there’s no shame in losing a rain-shortened game to a Top 10 team."

LSU's lone run came after Lafayette native Andrew Stevenson hit a triple, then scored off a Tyler Moore fly out.

UL continues their battle with ranked SEC foes this Friday, as they welcome #21 Alabama to M.L. Tigue Moore field for a three game weekend series.