Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
13-14, 4-6
Louisiana
21-9, 7-3
Herd Baseball Drops Series Opener to Louisiana
4/6/2023 11:13:00 PM | Baseball
Ayers has three-RBI game
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Owen Ayers drives in three runs as the Marshall University baseball team (13-14, 4-6 Sun Belt) fell to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (21-9, 7-3 Sun Belt), 8-4, in the series opener in Charleston, West Virginia at GoMart Ballpark on Thursday night.
"Cope wasn't as sharp as normally is, but at the end of the day he still went five innings and only gave up three runs, but we did get behind early," Herd baseball head coach Greg Beals said after the loss. "Their pitcher did a good job and he pitched differently than our scouting report. He used a different type of breaking ball and a lot of it. Give him credit. It kept us off balance."
Owen Ayers went 2-for-4 in the contest with a pair of doubles. His two-bagger in the bottom of the eighth cleared bases as he collected three RBI.
Starting pitcher Patrick Copen gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in 5.0 innings of work to go with two strikeouts.
Coming on in relief of Copen to start the sixth, Bryce Blevins threw a pair of innings giving up a run on two hits and a walk. The reliever punched out a pair of Louisiana batters.
Kebler Peralta led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single with one of his two hits. After advancing to second on a wild pitch and stealing third, he was brought home on a Kyle Schaefer sacrifice fly.
Jalen Hollins held the Ragin' Cajuns scoreless as he worked the ninth.
UP NEXT
Marshall looks to even the series on Friday in game two against Louisiana on Saturday at 6 p.m. in Charleston.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Jake Hammond (3-2)
L: Copen, Patrick (2-3)
Batting:
2B: Max Marusak 1 ; Carson Roccaforte 1 ; CJ Willis 1
3B: Ben Robichaux 1
HR: Will Veillon 1
RBI: Max Marusak 2 ; Ben Robichaux 2 ; John Taylor 1 ; Will Veillon 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Max Marusak 1 ; Ben Robichaux 1 ; Heath Hood 1 ; Carson Roccaforte 1 ; Will Veillon 2 ; Peyton LeJeune 1 ; CJ Willis 1
SB: Ben Robichaux 1 ; Heath Hood 2 ; Carson Roccaforte 1
CS: CJ Willis 1
HBP: Heath Hood 1 ; Will Veillon 1
PO: Will Veillon 1
Batting:
2B: Ayers, Owen 2
RBI: Schaefer, Kyle 1 ; Ayers, Owen 3
SF: Schaefer, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Edwards, Luke 1 ; Schaefer, Kyle 1 ; Peralta, Kebler 2
SB: Peralta, Kebler 1
