Cane Cutters News

Fans who came out to celebrate the local university as part of UL Night at Fabacher Field were given extra reason to be excited, as the home team came away with a thrilling 10-9 win on Thursday night.

Turner Francis (UL Monroe) earned Player of the Game honors due to his 3-for-4 performance that included a run scored and the go-ahead RBI in a comeback victory. Francis’ triple in the bottom of the eighth scored Gavin Bourgeois (ULL) to put the Cane Cutters up 10-9 after being down by as many as seven runs. This makes two standout performances in a row for Turner, who seems to have broken out of a season-starting slump. “I’ve been getting some [pitches] that I like, and I’ve been getting barrell on it and it’s been paying off, so I’m glad that’s happened.”

After jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Cane Cutters defense hit a rough patch in the third through fifth innings in which they committed three errors and allowed several walks that would result in a total nine runs for Texarkana. Acadiana would get a run back in the bottom of the fifth via a Thane Lanclos (LSU Alexandria) double that scored Brady Bell (Nicholls St) to make it 9-3. An inning later, Bell would record an RBI Fielder’s Choice to cut the deficit to five. The rally extended into the bottom of the seventh, when the Cutters loaded the bases with one out. By the end of the inning, RBI singles by Nathan Gabryszwski (Lamar University), Bell and a 3-run double by Trey Morgan (Southeastern Louisiana) had plated five runs to tie the game at nine. Of his go-ahead triple, Francis said “I was just waiting on a first pitch fastball that I could drive into the gap.”

Come cheer on Turner and the rest of Cane Cutters as they look to extend the win streak to seven vs. the Texas Generals on Friday! For more information and ticket needs call the Cane Cutters front office at (337) 451-6582 or go to canecuttersbaseball.com. For all news, stats, weather updates, and discounts for the 2017 season follow the Cane Cutters on Facebook at Acadiana Cane Cutters Baseball, on Twitter @CaneCuttersBB, and on Instagram at Acadiana_CaneCutters.