New Orleans, LA

Brett Baer buried two crucial field goals in the fourth period and Alonzo Harris rushed for two touchdowns as Louisiana-Lafayette defeated East Carolina, 43-34, to capture the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Superdome.

Holding just a three-point lead, Baer booted field goals from 40 and 25 yards to carry the Ragin' Cajuns to their second straight bowl victory. He finished with three field goals.

Baer was also the hero in last year's victory when he booted a 50-yard field goal to lift the Ragin' Cajuns to a 32-30 win over San Diego State, snapping a 41-year stretch without a bowl victory.

With the victory, Louisiana finished the year with a 9-4 mark, equaling the school-record for wins in a season set in 1921, 1970, 1976 and 2011.

Sophomore quarterback Terrance Broadway completed 21 of 32 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown and rushed 15 times for 108 yards and a score.

Harris led the rushing corps with 120 yards on 21 carries and two scores and fellow rusher Harry Peoples added a score in the first period.

Sophomore wide receiver Jamal Robinson tallied 116 yards on six catches and Javone Lawson had four catches for 71 yards and a touchdown for the Ragin' Cajuns.

Shane Carden hit 25 of 42 passes for 278 yards and two touchdowns but issued a crucial interception in the fourth period for the Pirates, who missed a chance of ending a five-year bowl drought since defeating No. 22 Boise State, 41-38, in the 2007 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

Senior running back Reggie Bullock rushed for 99 yards on 16 carries and two touchdowns while wide receivers Justin Hardy and Danny Webster were the recipients of Carden's two touchdown heaves.

The Ragin' Cajuns stormed to a 14-0 lead behind touchdown runs by Broadway and Peoples.

After Bullock's five-yard touchdown run, the Ragin' Cajuns extended their lead to 28-7 after Harris scored back-to-back scoring runs from six and 68 yards.

Carden found Hardy and Webster for a 19- and 16-yard touchdown pass, respectively, to bring the Pirates within 28-21 before Baer buried a 50-yard field goal at the break.

In the third period, Warren Harvey sank a 45-yard field goal and Bullock scored on a 13-yard run to tie the game at 31.

Showing composure, Broadway connected with Lawson for a 14-yard touchdown pass for just a 37-31 lead after the extra point attempt was blocked.

In the fourth, Harvey sank a 26-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 37-34 before Baer buried two crucial field goals to wrap up the victory.

 

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