BY: Mike Hensley

The 2015 Sun Belt Conference Baseball tournament ended the same way it did one year ago: The Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns hoisted the championship trophy Sunday afternoon after defeating the South Alabama Jaguars 5-1 at Riddle-Pace Field.

The championship game ended in a way that was fitting for a tournament that saw many up and downs during the week.

Stefan Trosclair hit a grand slam in the top half of the 12th inning sending the Ragin’ Cajun faithful into a frenzy.

“We fought a very gritty team. I think we were the two best teams in the conference this season, and it played out that way,” Ragin’ Cajun Head coach Tony Robichaux said. “They have such great pitching, you have to try and answer them with pitching and defense, and we were able to do that.”

Starting pitcher Gunner Leger took the ball for the Cajuns and pitched his team to the championship. Leger pitched eight innings allowing only one run on five hits.

“Gunner did a great job today pitching on three days rest. He gutted it out for us and really kept us in the game,” Robichaux said. “If you get behind too much with those arms, you’re going to be finished. He bent, but never broke, he kept us where we need to be.”

The Ragin’ Cajuns scored in the first inning on the first of five runs-batted-in by Trosclair. The Jaguars battled back in the third inning and scored the tying run on a double off the bat of Ben Gann that went shooting down the right field line, scoring Cole Billingsley from first base.

Both teams went scoreless until the 12th, but both teams had their chances to score. In the 10th inning the Ragin’ Cajuns were turned away again, after a leadoff double by Greg Davis, Robichaux elected to go with pinch runner Jam Williams off the bench.

With one out, Brenn Conrad stepped to the plate and lined a shot to left field that was caught. Williams attempted to tag up and score, but he was thrown out at the plate ending the threat for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

Then in the twelfth, the Ragin’ Cajuns broke through in a big way. Joe Robbins started things for the Ragin’ Cajuns with a base hit, leading to a sacrifice bunt by Dylan Butler, sending Robbins to second base. After two intentional walks to Trahan, Ben Taylor was able to get Conrad to ground out to third, advancing Robbins to third.

South Alabama Head Coach Mark Calvi made the decision to intentionally walk Kyle Clement, with two outs in the inning. With the bases loaded Trosclair stepped to the plate and hammered a pitch over the right field wall clearing the bases and giving the Ragin’ Cajuns the 5-1 lead.

“Trosclair got the barrel on the ball, and the pitcher was throwing really hard. When you put leverage on him, the ball is going to jump,” Robichaux said. “Trosclair put some good leverage on him and the ball went out of the ballpark.”

The memorable end of the tournament summed up a great week of baseball at Troy University’s Riddle-Pace Field.

At the conclusion of the championship game, the Sun Belt Conference named Trosclair as its Most Outstanding Player. The All-tournament teams were announced Sunday night. From Arkansas State: Zach George, and Chandler Hawkins. Matt Rose from Georgia State. From South Alabama: Adam Ballew, Ryan Raspino, and Cole Billingsley.

UL-Lafayette had the most players on the list with three: Kyle Clement, Gunner Leger, and Dylan Moore. Levi Scott from Texas-Arlington, and Scott Grist and David Paiz from Texas State also made team.