Box Score (PDF)

LAFAYETTE, La. – No. 21 Louisiana-Lafayette scored nine unanswered runs for a 10-2 series-clinching win over the University of South Alabama baseball team Sunday at Russo Park.

ULL (16-12, 6-3 SBC) trailed by a run through two innings, but scored runs in each of the next four frames including a three-run third and a four-run fourth.

Cajun left-hander Hogan Harris (3-0) allowed two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and a pair of walks in five innings pitched in the win. Tyler Carr (2-1) allowed five earned runs on seven hits with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings in the loss.

USA (16-12, 6-3 SBC) scored its lone runs of the game on a pair of solo home runs. Drew LaBounty gave the Jags a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a leadoff home run to center field, his third of the season and second of the series, on a 1-0 pitch from Harris.

The Cajuns answered with a run to tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly to left field by Steven Sensley that scored Ishmael Edwards, who led off the inning with a single to right field. 

USA responded with its final run of the game in the top of the second inning on a leadoff solo home run to right-center field by Eddie Paparella on a 2-1 pitch from Harris. 

ULL tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the third on a one-out RBI single to center field by Edwards that scored Hunter Kasuls, who reached on a single and stole second ahead of Edwards. Joe Robbins delivered a two-out, two-run home run to right-center field later in the inning for a 4-2 Cajun advantage.

The Cajuns pushed their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth on a one-out RBI double down the left field line by Handsome Monica. Edwards then delivered an inside-the-park home run down the right field line with two outs later in the inning to extend the ULL lead to 8-2.

ULL pushed its lead to 9-2 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out single to right field by Alex Pinero, and added the game's final run in the bottom of the sixth on a two-out RBI single back up the middle by Sensley.

LaBounty and Paparella each went 2-for-3 with a home run, one RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguars offensively. Edwards finished 3-for-5 with a home run, four RBI and three runs scored to lead the Cajuns at the plate.

"We had opportunities early to score five or six runs after the home runs, at least four, that could have changed the tide of the game," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "But we didn't. Their kid made some pitches and we gave some at-bats away. I told our guys after the game that it's disappointing; we let them off the hook. We had some opportunities we earned – you earn the right to have opportunities – and we didn't seal the deal. And on the mound we just didn't make pitches. Their (ULL) guys made pitches when it mattered and we didn't today – that's the bottom line."

USA will return to action Tue., April 4, when it travels to Hammond, La., for a 6 p.m. contest with Southeastern Louisiana.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club, the baseball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/dugoutclub.