University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Sunday, February 15
Lafayette, La.
1 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
1-2
9
vs
7
Missouri State
2-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Missouri State
3
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
1
7
11
2
Louisiana
3
1
0
3
2
0
0
0
X
9
7
2
Bullpen Shines As Louisiana Earns 9-7 Win Over Bears
2/15/2026 7:28:00 PM | Baseball
Offense capitalizes as Cajuns earn first win of '26 season
LAFAYETTE – Louisiana's bullpen delivered a steady finish Sunday afternoon, helping the Ragin' Cajuns earn a 9-7 victory over Missouri State at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field for their first win of the season.
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After a difficult outing one day earlier, four relievers combined to allow two runs over the final four innings. Junior college transfer Garret Carter closed the game with back-to-back strikeouts in the ninth, stranding the tying run on base to record his first Division I save.
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Starter JR Tollett (1-0) worked five innings, striking out eight. He settled in after a three-run first by Missouri State (2-1), holding the Bears scoreless from the second through the fourth innings.
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Louisiana (1-2) answered immediately in the bottom of the first against Owen Slater (0-1). Noah Lewis was hit by a pitch, and Maddox Mandino walked to open the inning. Freshman Blaze Rodriguez singled to left to score Lewis, and Mandino crossed the plate when Max Knight's throw to third skipped past Curry Sutherland, allowing Rodriguez to advance. Steven Spalitta's groundout plated Rodriguez to tie the game at 3-3.
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The Cajuns took the lead for good in the second. Lee Amadee doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Griffin Hebert. Drew Markle followed with a single up the middle to score Amedee and give Louisiana a 4-3 advantage.
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Louisiana extended its lead in the fourth with back-to-back home runs by Rigoberto Hernandez and Amedee, the team's first two homers of the season. Hebert later doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a groundout by Markle to make it 7-3.
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Missouri State closed to within 7-5 in the fifth after two-out singles set up Bobby Atkinson's two-run triple. The Cajuns responded in the bottom half. A hit batter and a walk set the table for Hernandez, who singled to score Rodriguez. An errant throw to first by catcher Bowen Tabola on a strikeout allowed Colt Brown to score, pushing the lead to 9-5.
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Freshman Cole Flanagan allowed a two-out solo home run to pinch-hitter Jackson Beaman in the sixth. Sophomore Parker Smith retired the side in order in the seventh, and Lafayette native Hayden Pearson struck out the first two batters he faced in the eighth before Carter entered and recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
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The Bears threatened again in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Charlie Carter singled, moved to second on a groundout and scored on Caden Bogenpohl's single to trim the deficit to 9-7. After a walk put the tying run on base, Garret Carter struck out Atkinson and Sutherland to end the game.
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Louisiana finished with 13 strikeouts one day after recording 14 in Saturday's loss.
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The Cajuns travel to Houston for their first road trip of the season to face Rice at Reckling Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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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.
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For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
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After a difficult outing one day earlier, four relievers combined to allow two runs over the final four innings. Junior college transfer Garret Carter closed the game with back-to-back strikeouts in the ninth, stranding the tying run on base to record his first Division I save.
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Starter JR Tollett (1-0) worked five innings, striking out eight. He settled in after a three-run first by Missouri State (2-1), holding the Bears scoreless from the second through the fourth innings.
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Louisiana (1-2) answered immediately in the bottom of the first against Owen Slater (0-1). Noah Lewis was hit by a pitch, and Maddox Mandino walked to open the inning. Freshman Blaze Rodriguez singled to left to score Lewis, and Mandino crossed the plate when Max Knight's throw to third skipped past Curry Sutherland, allowing Rodriguez to advance. Steven Spalitta's groundout plated Rodriguez to tie the game at 3-3.
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The Cajuns took the lead for good in the second. Lee Amadee doubled to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Griffin Hebert. Drew Markle followed with a single up the middle to score Amedee and give Louisiana a 4-3 advantage.
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Louisiana extended its lead in the fourth with back-to-back home runs by Rigoberto Hernandez and Amedee, the team's first two homers of the season. Hebert later doubled, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a groundout by Markle to make it 7-3.
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Missouri State closed to within 7-5 in the fifth after two-out singles set up Bobby Atkinson's two-run triple. The Cajuns responded in the bottom half. A hit batter and a walk set the table for Hernandez, who singled to score Rodriguez. An errant throw to first by catcher Bowen Tabola on a strikeout allowed Colt Brown to score, pushing the lead to 9-5.
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Freshman Cole Flanagan allowed a two-out solo home run to pinch-hitter Jackson Beaman in the sixth. Sophomore Parker Smith retired the side in order in the seventh, and Lafayette native Hayden Pearson struck out the first two batters he faced in the eighth before Carter entered and recorded a strikeout to end the inning.
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The Bears threatened again in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Charlie Carter singled, moved to second on a groundout and scored on Caden Bogenpohl's single to trim the deficit to 9-7. After a walk put the tying run on base, Garret Carter struck out Atkinson and Sutherland to end the game.
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Louisiana finished with 13 strikeouts one day after recording 14 in Saturday's loss.
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The Cajuns travel to Houston for their first road trip of the season to face Rice at Reckling Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
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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.
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For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tollett, JR (1-0)
L: Slater,Owen (0-1)
S: Carter, Garret (1)
Batting:
2B: Roessler,Gabe 1 ; Atkinson,Bobby 1
3B: Sutherland,Curry 1
HR: Beaman,Jackson 1
RBI: Bogenpohl,Caden 1 ; Atkinson,Bobby 2 ; Sutherland,Curry 2 ; Knight,Max 1 ; Beaman,Jackson 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bogenpohl,Caden 1 ; Gollert,Taeg 2 ; Atkinson,Bobby 1 ; Sutherland,Curry 1 ; Beaman,Jackson 1 ; Carter,Charlie 1
Batting:
2B: Amedee, Lee 1 ; Hebert, Griffin 1
HR: Hernandez, Rigoberto 1 ; Amedee, Lee 1
RBI: Rodriguez, Blaze 1 ; Spalitta, Steven 1 ; Hernandez, Rigoberto 2 ; Amedee, Lee 1 ; Markle, Drew 2
SH: Hebert, Griffin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lewis, Noah 1 ; Mandino, Maddox 1 ; Rodriguez, Blaze 2 ; Brown, Colt 1 ; Hernandez, Rigoberto 1 ; Amedee, Lee 2 ; Hebert, Griffin 1
SB: Rodriguez, Blaze 1
HBP: Lewis, Noah 1 ; Rodriguez, Blaze 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP/C
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RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballIF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballMatt Deggs Media Availability (Feb 9, 2026)
Monday, February 09
Jose Torres Media Availability (Feb 4, 2026)
Wednesday, February 04
Andrew Herrmann Media Availability (Feb 4, 2026)
Wednesday, February 04
Lee Amedee Media Availability (Feb 4, 2026)
Wednesday, February 04
