UL baseball coach Matt Deggs loves when his pitching staff shines.
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt his heart when his Ragin’ Cajuns struggle at the plate.
Deggs finally got a little relief Sunday when UL’s bats came alive in a 13-7 victory over Southern Miss at Russo Park.
“We bounced back today,” Deggs said. “I always tell them hitting comes around and goes around. You’ve got to stay the course. You’ve got to keep working and preparing, and you’ve got to have a great approach.
“We needed grown men on the field today and that’s what we got.”
The big day at the plate means the Cajuns won the Sun Belt series over the Golden Eagles. UL is now 33-13 overall and 17-4 in league play, while Southern Miss dropped to 27-17 and 12-9.
The Cajuns maintained their three-game lead on second-place Troy, which entertains UL next weekend.
Deggs was relieved to see his lineup produce.
“It gets tough, man,” Deggs said. “That’s why I go through cardstock like I’m working at Dunder Mifflin. You know what I’m saying? That lineup card is on cardstock and you keep going through that and you’re just burning trees, man.”
The big offensive day began with shortstop Kyle DeBarge continuing his strong weekend with a two-run homer in the first inning.
“I was just trying to get a pitch away and just drive it that way,” he said. “The wind is blowing that way. You weren’t pulling anything out of here today.”
DeBarge then got an RBI double to right for a 3-2 lead in the third. At that point, the shortstop had driven in all eight of the Cajuns’ runs in the series.
DeBarge ended the series 5 for 12 with a double, a homer and eight RBIs.
“DeBo had just a huge weekend for us, man,” Deggs said. “I can’t say enough about how he played. You just try to soak up every minute of it. He’s the nastiest player I’ve ever had, and I’ve got some good ones. I just love everything about him, on the field and off the field. He deserves everything he’ll get.”
He was intentionally walked for the first time all weekend with two runners in scoring position and UL leading 12-4 in the bottom of the seventh.
“I said a few words,” DeBarge said of his reaction to being walked in that scenario. “I find it a respect thing. I guess my goal is to get an intentional walk. It’s a good thing.
“I took it as disrespect on Saturday still wanting to pitch to you, but they had a reason to. I mean I was 0 for 3 both days. I’ll take it how it is.”
Caleb Stelly singled home a run in the third. Two batters after that, Luke Yuhasz smashed a grand slam to right for a commanding 8-2 UL lead.
“We struggled the first two games,” Yuhasz said. “It’s just about how we respond. That’s what we do. I wasn’t trying (grand slam). It just happened. Coach Deggs is always talking about staying inside the ball and just being on time with a good approach, and it just worked out.”
UL added two insurance runs in the fifth on a clutch two-out, two-run single to right from Jose Torres.
In the seventh before DeBarge was intentionally walked, Torres added an RBI single to finish the day 2 for 3 with three RBIs.
Pinch hitter Clay Wargo contributed an RBI single in the three-run seventh.
The Cajuns finished with 18 hits and walked five times, leaving only seven runners on base.
“It was a tough weekend to hit,” DeBarge said. “We had 18 today, which is kind of crazy, because it’s kind of the same day as the past two days. We just competed better today. We got after the fastball better.”
The pitching side of Sunday’s win wasn’t as rosy. Starting pitcher Carson Fluno lasted only two innings, giving up two runs on three hits, no walks and one strikeout.
“That was his second time out this week too, and that was something he hasn’t done this year,” Deggs said. “He’ll get hot again. I’ve got no doubt.”
Blake McGehee relieved him with two shutout innings, but Matthew Holzhammer had another rough outing with two runs allowed on three hits and a walk in 1⅓ innings.
David Christie collected his third save of the season, despite giving up three runs on six hits in 3⅔ innings.
“That’s the mentality of this team, whatever it takes to win,” Deggs said.