Logos from sportslogos.net
The Louisiana Ragin Cajuns opened the week with their lone home game in the five-game stretch as they welcome Texas-Rio Grande Valley to Russo Park. The Vaqueros jumped out to a 5-1 lead before the Cajuns took a 6-5 lead in the third. However, that wouldn’t hold as UTRGV got out of town with a 9-7 victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The scoring started quickly as Isaac Lopez took the first pitch he saw into the left field billboard for an early 1-0 lead. Later in the inning, Steven Lancia got an RBI double to make it 2-0, followed by a Thomas Williams RBI groundout to make it 3-0 after just a half inning.
In the second, UTRGV added further to their lead thanks to a bases-loaded walk issued to Easton Moomau to make it 4-0 before Louisiana would get one back in the bottom half as Maddox Mandino singled and reached second on an error. Owen Galt then hit an RBI single to score Mandino and make it 4-1 after two innings.
However, that run would quickly go back to the Vaqueros with a solo homer from Williams deep into the right field trees to make it 5-1.
In the bottom of the third, the Cajuns got four straight singles to put a second run on the board, thanks to an RBI from Lee Amedee, and left the bases loaded with just one out. Then, a walk to Carson Hepworth pushed the second run of the inning across and put the tying run in scoring position with one out. Mandino then came through with an RBI single to keep the offense going for the Cajuns. The fielders’ choice resulted in an RBI for Owen Galt to tie the game. Jose Torres, who singled to start the inning, drew a bases loaded walk to give Louisiana the lead in the bottom of the third.
The Vaqueros got the game squared again in the fifth with an RBI single from Rene Galvan to tie the game at 6-6 after a five-run frame from the Cajuns in the third, which gave them the lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Connor Higgs laced an RBI double to center field to score Torres and regain the lead 7-6. However, that lead would diminish in the seventh as UTRGV scored a pair of runs on a fielder’s choice RBI and a fielding error by Amedee to make it 8-7 with only one out in the inning. Lancia added another run with an RBI single, but a potential second run was tagged out at the plate.
In the bottom of the ninth, Louisiana was retired in order by Steven Oliva to end the game with a 9-7 final score.
BIG NUMBER: 358
In a high-scoring affair, 358 pitches were thrown between the two teams in tonight’s contest.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Steven Lancia
The senior catcher brought in a pair of runs on the night with a double while going 3-4 at the plate.
UP NEXT: The Cajuns will travel up to Ruston for another matchup with the Bulldogs of Louisiana Tech. First pitch from J.C. Love Field is set for 6:00 p.m.