Robichaux Pitches Cajuns Past Alabama 2-0

In a pitchers duel, the team that makes the most of their few opportunities is the one who comes out on top.

Friday night the 10th ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns finally cashed in, while Austin Robichaux held Alabama at bay.

The Cajuns scored twice without a hit in the seventh inning and Robichaux scattered seven hits and struck out eleven batters in a complete game, 2-0 victory over the 21st ranked Crimson Tide before 4,040 fans at M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

The win was the ninth straight for Louisiana (9-1), while Alabama (4-4) lost for the fourth time when allowing only two runs.

Both Robichaux and Alabama's Spencer Turnbull (0-1) turned in solid performances.  But it was Turnbull's defensive mistakes that did him in on this night.

Turnbull walked Ryan Wilson to begin the seventh inning.  Jace Conrad then bunted.  Turnbull bobbled the ball and then threw wildly to first base allowing WIlson to move to third and Conrad to second.  Michael Strentz then hit a shot to second base against a drawn in infield.  Kyle Overstreet made an outstanding diving play and threw Strentz out while the runners held.

The first pitch to the next batter, Chase Compton missed for ball one and the Cajuns put on the suicide squeeze on the next pitch.  Compton bunted the ball cleanly to score Wilson, and Conrad never hesitated rounding third as Turnbull threw to first for the out and the Cajuns would have all the runs they would need.

Robichaux (2-1) did not allow the lead batter to reach base the entire contest.  He walked only one batter to go with his eleven strikeouts.  Alabama threatened only twice in the game.  With one out in the first, Georgie Salem grounded one up the middle for the Tide's first hit.  Ben Moore then hit a high chopper that was fielded by Ryan Leonards, but the Cajuns' third baseman had no play.  Wade Wass then loaded the bases with a single to left.  But Robichaux struck out Casey Hughston and got Overstreet to ground to Blake Trahan at shortstop to end the inning.  Moore and Wass had back to back singles in the sixth with one out, but again, Robichaux struck out Hughston and got Overstreet on a grounder to get out of the inning.  The Crowley junior retired all six men he faced after the Cajuns took the lead.  He threw 128 pitches on the night.

Turnbull gave up only two hits through 6.1 innings of work, both of them to Ryan Leonards.  Leonards first hit came with one out in the third, but he was thrown out trying to steal.  Leonards singled again with two out in the sixth and stole second, but Turnbull got Nick Thurman on a fly ball to left to strand Leonards.

Turnbull threw 101 pitches in his stint on the mound.  He walked four and struck out six.

The two teams will collide again tomorrow at 2:05 pm.  Left hander Justin Kamplain will pitch for Alabama while Louisiana will counter with Carson Baranik.  Airtime will be at 1:35 on 96.5 KPEL FM.