University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Friday, April 12
Lafayette, La.
6:00 p.m.

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

vs

Marshall

April 6, 2024 Louisiana vs Louisiana Monroe Baseball Game 2 in Russo Park at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field. Final Score Louisiana 9 ULM 2. Photo by Hunter Neel/Ragin’ Cajun Athletics

Louisiana Baseball Preview: The Marshall Series

4/11/2024 8:55:00 PM | Baseball

No. 19-ranked Ragin' Cajuns host Thundering Herd in three-game SBC series

LAFAYETTE – The No. 19-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball team closes out a season-long, nine-game homestand beginning Friday when it plays host to Marshall in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
 
First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest before the series finale on Sunday at 1. All three games in the weekend series will be streamed live on ESPN+.
 
Fans in the Lafayette area will be able to listen live on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app. Live stats will be available at CajunStats.com.
 
Louisiana (25-9, 11-1 SBC) enters the three-game series on an 11-game win streak in conference play after posting sweeps of Old Dominion, Texas State and ULM over the last three weekends. The Ragin' Cajuns split in a pair of midweek games, capped by a 7-2 loss to in-state rival Louisiana Tech on Wednesday which snapped the nation's longest win streak at 16 games.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns will meet Marshall (16-19, 5-7 SBC) for the second consecutive year after earning a three-game road sweep over the Thundering Herd in last year's inaugural series between the schools.
 
Junior left-hander Andrew Herrmann (3-1, 1.99 ERA), second in the SBC in earned run average, will start in Friday's opener for Louisiana with freshman southpaw Chase Morgan (3-1, 2.34 ERA), third in the SBC in ERA scheduled for start on Saturday.
 
Senior right-hander Carson Fluno (1-0, 2.81 ERA) will start in Sunday's finale for Louisiana, which leads the league in team ERA (3.62) and is second in strikeouts (336).
 
Kyle DeBarge leads Louisiana at the plate with a .338 average, 12 home runs and 37 RBI. The junior shortstop has hit at a .386 clip in league games with four home runs and 16 RBI. Josh Alexander (.310-2-18), Duncan Pastore (.308-2-22), Jose Torres (.308-1-19) and John Taylor (.306-4-20) are next in hitting for the Ragin' Cajuns.
 
Marshall took two out of three games last week against visiting Texas State and earned a 3-2 walk-off win over in-state rival West Virginia on Wednesday. The Thundering Herd are led at plate by Cam Harthan with a .343 average.
 
Owen Ayers (.291-6-18) and Elijah Vogelsong (.229-6-21) share the team lead in home runs for the Thundering Herd with Ayers producing 13 doubles on the season. Harthan and Gio Ferraro (.220-1-12) each lead the team with nine stolen bases.
 
Right-hander Drew Harlow (5-3, 4.86 ERA) will earn the start in Friday's opener for Marshall with left-hander Bryce Blevins (2-0, 1.68 ERA), the SBC leader in ERA slated to pitch on Saturday. Right-hander Carter Lyles (0-2, 4.68 ERA) is expected to start in Sunday's finale.
 
Tickets for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
 
Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.
 
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
 
For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
 
GAMES 35-37 PREVIEW
No. 19 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (25-9, 11-1 SBC) vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (16-19, 5-7 SBC)
 
DATE/TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Friday – April 12, 6 p.m.
Saturday – April 13, 2 p.m.
Sunday – April 14, 1 p.m.
 
LOCATION/SITE
M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park (6,015) | Lafayette, La.
 
PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andrew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Jr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
'24 Stats: 3-1, 1.99 ERA, 40.2 IP, 29 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 14 BB, 43 K, .204 OppBA
 
MARSHALL | RH Drew Harlow (6-2, 215, Sr., Halifax, Va.)
'24 Stats: 5-3, 4.86 ERA, 46.1 IP, 44 H, 28 R, 25 ER, 12 BB, 41 K, .244 OppBA
 
SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Chase Morgan (6-3, 195, Fr., Cypress, Texas)
'24 Stats: 3-1, 2.34 ERA, 34.2 IP, 21 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 9 BB, 28 K, .171 OppBA
 
MARSHALL | LH Bryce Blevins (5-11, 195, So., Louisa, Ky.)
'24 Stats: 2-0, 1.68 ERA, 48.1 IP, 41 H, 15 R, 9 ER, 13 BB, 34 K, .230 OppBA
 
SUNDAY – 1 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Carson Fluno (6-2, 190, Sr., Sun Prairie, Wis.)
'24 Stats: 1-0, 2.81 ERA, 25.2 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 11 BB, 26 K, .181 OppBA
 
MARSHALL | RH Carter Lyles (6-3, 260, Sr., Madison, W.Va.)
'24 Stats: 0-2, 4.68 ERA, 25.0 IP, 36 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 7 BB, 14 K, .333 OppBA
 
RANKINGS
Louisiana – 19th (D1 Baseball); 21st (NCBWA, Perfect Game); 24th (Baseball America, USA Today Coaches Poll); RPI - 53
Marshall – Unranked; RPI - 165
 
RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
RADIO (Pregame Show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM 96.5 / The Varsity Network App
Talent – Jay Walker (pxp); Brad Topham (color)
 
TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Dan McDonald (pxp), Brennan Breaux (color); Eric Mouton (color)
 
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.com
 
SERIES RECORD
Overall: Louisiana leads, 3-0
Last 10: Louisiana, 3-0
Streak: Louisiana +3
 
PROMOTIONS
FRIDAY (presented by Cajun Country Rice)
• Lafayette Roofing Baseball Bingo
• Rice Paddle Giveaway
 
SATURDAY (presented by Jersey Mike's)
• Cup Giveaway
 
SUNDAY
• Kid's Day (Anthem Buddies, Kids Run the Bases Postgame)
• Young Ragin' Cajuns Club Junior Announcer
 
LEADING OFF
• Louisiana opens a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Marshall
• The series is the second between the schools with the Ragin' Cajuns earning a three-game sweep in last year's meeting in Charleston, W.Va.
• All three games can be heard in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
• Louisiana, currently in first-place in the league standings, has won 11 straight games in SBC play and are three games shy of tying the SBC record set by South Florida in 1986.
• Louisiana's 11-game win streak in conference games is currently second nationally behind Mid-American Conference leader Bowling Green (13).
• Louisiana's 25 wins are the most among SBC programs.
• The weekend series features the top three pitchers in terms of ERA in the league – Marshall's Bryce Blevins (1.68) and the Louisiana tandem of Andrew Herrmann (1.99) and Chase Morgan (2.34 ERA).
• As a team, Louisiana leads the Sun Belt Conference in ERA (3.62), opposing batting average (.217), saves (12), hits allowed (237), runs allowed (141) and earned run allowed (120).
• Louisiana ranks eighth nationally on hits allowed per nine innings (7.16), eighth in ERA, 17th in WHIP (1.29) and 34th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.1).
• Louisiana's 14 triples in 2024 are the most among SBC programs and eighth in Division I.
 
SERIES HISTORY VS. MARSHALL
• Louisiana completed a three-game sweep of Marshall in a series which was played April 6-8 (Thurs.-Sat.) in Charleston, W.Va., at GoMart Ballpark.
• The Ragin' Cajuns opened with an 8-4 win before posting a 5-2 win in the second contest.
• Louisiana completed the sweep with an 8-2 win behind four home runs with Jackson Nezuh and Carson Fluno combining on a seven-hitter.
• Head coach Matt Deggs is 3-0 in his career against the Thundering Herd.
 
WHAT'S UP NEXT
• Louisiana will play its third, five-game week of the season and second in as many weeks beginning Tuesday with a home-and-home series against in-state opponent Southeastern Louisiana.
• The midweek series will begin on Tuesday (April 16) in Hammond with the teams meeting in a 6 p.m. contest at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
• The teams will then meet the following night (April 17) in a 6 p.m. contest at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
• Louisiana will then conclude the week beginning on Friday with a three-game series (April 19-21) at nationally-ranked Coastal Carolina.
 
BSB Drew Markle
Monday, December 01
Matt Deggs Media Availability (May 12, 2025)
Monday, May 12
Matt Deggs Media Availability (May 4, 2025)
Monday, May 05
Beyond The Bases - Louisiana Baseball - Episode 4
Friday, May 02