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The Troy Trojans (34-15, 16-8) bested the 18th ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (34-15, 18-6) in a Sun Belt Conference baseball series this weekend, taking 2-of-3 games at home.

The series win was Troy’s second straight series victory over a Top 20 team in the country after sweeping the previously 12th ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers the previous weekend.

Troy started off the series in dominant fashion, run-ruling Louisiana in seven innings, taking a 16-5 win on May 3. Kyle Mock went 3-for-5 at the plate with a grand slam home run, a double, seven RBIs and two runs, while Tremayne Cobb Jr. went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs. Brooks Bryan also went 2-for-3 with a double, one RBI and three runs.

Garrett Gainous earned his second win on the mound, striking out five batters and giving up six hits and four earned runs in five innings pitched. Clete Hartzog also pitched two innings and fanned three batters, while giving up no hits or runs.

Kyle Debarge went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Cajuns with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two runs. Andrew Herrmann took the loss for Louisiana, giving up five hits and two earned runs in two innings pitched. Louisiana threw five pitchers at the Trojans in game one.

The Trojans sealed the series win in game two. Troy trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning but scored four unanswered runs to go up 5-2. Louisiana attempted to rally in the seventh, cutting the lead to 5-4, but Troy scored three more runs in the eighth to claim an 8-4 victory.

Bryan went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Trojans, with a home run, three RBIs and a run. Mock went 2-for-3 with a homer, one RBI and one run.

Luke Lyon earned his seventh win on the mound, striking out four and giving up five hits and two earned runs in five innings of work. Jay Dill also earned his first save of the season, giving up one hit and no runs with two strikeouts in two and 1/3 innings pitched.

For Louisiana, DeBarge went 2-for-5 with a double and a run. Chase Morgan took the loss on the mound, striking out one and giving up six hits and four earned runs in four and 2/3 innings toeing the rubber.

Going into Sunday, the Trojans had a chance to earn a second straight series sweep over a Top 20 team but the Cajuns had other ideas as they took away a 14-13 win. Louisiana looked to be on the verge of running away with the game, leading 12-6 going into the bottom of the ninth, when Troy exploded.

Kole Myers started off the rally with an RBI single that drove both Aidan Gilroy and Matt Mercer home to cut the Cajun lead to 12-8. Will Butcher then blasted a grand slam homer that tied the score 12-12 and forced extra innings.

Louisiana added two more runs in the top of the 10th to retake the lead 14-12. In the bottom of the 10th, Shane Lewis hit a double into right field and then Peyton Watts scored on an error to cut the lead to just one. The Trojans were unable to get back into scoring position, however.

“It was an incredible battle out here today. A lot of teams would’ve let it end there in the ninth, but numerous guys contributed to get the bat to Will Butcher, who hits a grand slam,” Troy Coach Skylar Meade said. “We just grinded, but it wasn’t meant to be. Louisiana is such a good team because the program answered from the last two and did it in the 10^th. As a pitching guy, I hate that we gave up double-digit runs. We have to be better at that. But, man, tremendous fight from every single person in that dugout and each fan in those stands. While a loss stings, it will serve us going forward.”

Butcher went 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, a double, seven RBIs and two runs. Mock also went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a double and a run.

A total of eight Trojan pitchers hit the mound in game three. Hartzog took the loss, striking out three and giving up three hits and two earned runs in one inning. Grayson Stewart struck out a pair of batters and gave up six hits and four earned runs in four innings of work.

For the Cajuns, Trey LaFleur went 3-for-6 with two doubles, a homer, three RBIs and two runs. Louisiana also utilized seven pitchers in game three. David Christie earned his second win of the season, striking out one and giving up one hit and no earned runs in one inning pitched.

Troy doesn’t get much time to rest as the No. 23-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide come to Troy on Tuesday for a midweek matchup at 6 p.m.