University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Tuesday, March 31
Lake Charles, La.
4:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
McNeese
Louisiana Baseball Preview: at McNeese
3/30/2026 7:49:00 PM | Baseball
Ragin' Cajuns open five-game road trip with visit to I-10 diamond rival
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team opens the second half of the regular season as it begins a five-game roadtrip on Tuesday at McNeese in an afternoon contest at Joe Miller Ballpark.
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. The game will be available on ESPN+ with fans able to listen locally in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
The longtime I-10 rivals meet for the 183rd time on the diamond, with Louisiana (18-10) holding a 103-79 advantage in the all-time series.
Louisiana, which will travel to face James Madison in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series beginning on Thursday, enters the matchup riding strong midweek success, posting a 7-0 record.
Individually, Lee Amedee leads the team with an active eight-game hitting streak, while Drew Markle has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games. Jayce LaCava has provided a spark for the Ragin' Cajuns since entering the starting lineup, hitting .429 with a home run and four RBI over his last five games.
JR Tollett (4-1, 7.99 ERA) will look to get back on track for Louisiana, while McNeese (14-14) will send left-hander Brady Corcoran (0-1, 8.49 ERA) to the mound for his first start.
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.
GAME 29 PREVIEW
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (18-10) at McNeese Cowboys (14-14)
TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Tuesday (March 31) – 4 p.m.
LOCATION/SITE
Joe Miller Ballpark (1,500) | Lake Charles, La.
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUP
TUESDAY – 4 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH JR Tollett (6-2, 210, Jr., Ruston, La.)
'26 Stats: 4-1, 7.99 ERA, 32.2 IP, 36 H, 29 R, 29 ER, 10 BB, 32 K, .279 OppBA
McNEESE | RH Brady Corcoran (5-11, 210, Soph., Nederland, Texas)
'26 Stats: 0-1, 8.49 ERA, 11.2 IP, 14 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 6 BB, 13 K, .292 OppBA
RANKINGS
Louisiana –Receiving Votes (NCBWA)
McNeese – Unranked
RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
TV
Station – ESPN+
Talent – TBA (pxp); TBA (color)
RADIO (Pregame Show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM 96.5 / The Varsity Network App
Talent – Jay Walker (pxp); Anthony Babineaux (color)
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.Statbroadcast.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall – Louisiana leads, 103-79
In Lafayette – Louisiana leads, 59-25
In Lake Charles – McNeese leads, 50-44
Neutral Sites – McNeese leads, 4-0
Last 10 – Louisiana, 6-4
Streak – McNeese +2
LOUISIANA ON DECK
• Louisiana begins a five-game roadtrip when it visits McNeese in a Tuesday afternoon contest at Joe Miller Ballpark.
• The I-10 diamond rivals meet for the 183rd time with Louisiana holding a 103-79 lead in the all-time series.
• Former McNeese head coach/assistant coach Jimmy Ricklefsen is in his first season at UL as the program's Director of Personnel and Scouting.
• Louisiana is 7-2 in one-run games in 2026 after posting a 5-6 mark in 2025.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 11-2 on the season when scoring six or more runs and 14-3 overall when allowing five runs or less.
• Lee Amedee has hit safely in his last eight games to lead the team while Drew Markle has reached base safely in his last 16 games to pace the club.
• During the midweek, Louisiana is 7-0 overall after its 9-3 win over Southeastern Louisiana on March 24.
• Head coach Matt Deggs is 97-56 all time against in-state teams.
• The weekend trio of Andrew Herrmann (4), Sawyer Pruitt (3), and JR Tollett (2) have combined for nine quality starts on the mound this season – two shy of last season's total in 58 games.
• Louisiana's combined 12 wins by its starting pitchers in 2026 equals the combined total of victories from last season.
• Jayce LaCava has hit safely in his last five games (.429, 1 HR, 4 RBI) since being inserted into the starting lineup in the finale of the Texas State series.
• Louisiana ranks in the top-50 among Division I schools in the following categories: fielding percentage (31st, .979), hits allowed per nine innings (33rd, 7.73), sacrifice bunts (21st, 20), shutouts (15th, 4), stolen bases (46th, 54), strikeout-to-walk ratio (37th, 2.60), WHIP (30th, 1.27) and walks allowed per nine innings (46th, 3.74).
SCOUTING McNEESE
• McNeese enters with a 14-14 overall record and 6-6 mark in Southland Conference play, posting an 8-11 record at home.
• Offensively, the Cowboys are hitting .257 as a team with Danny Barbero leading the team, batting .337 with five home runs and 31 RBI, while Matt Stancliff adds a .323 average and a team-high 17 stolen bases.
• On the mound, McNeese owns a 5.06 team ERA, allowing 139 earned runs in 247.0 innings with 291 strikeouts.
• Brady Corcoran has appeared in 11 games (all in relief), posting an 0-1 record with an 8.49 ERA over 11.2 innings pitched.
• Corcoran has allowed 14 hits, 11 earned runs and 5 home runs, while recording 13 strikeouts against 6 walks and holding opponents to a .292 batting average.
• McNeese salvaged a three-game series on Sunday with a walk-off 11-10 win over Abilene Christian.
• The Cowboys dropped the opening two games of the series, falling 6-4 on Friday before a 7-6 loss on Saturday.
WHAT'S ON TAP
• Louisiana hits the road on Wednesday and travels to Harrisonburg, Va., for a three-game SBC series beginning Thursday at James Madison (April 2-4).
• After completing the Thursday-Saturday series against JMU, the Ragin' Cajuns close out the road swing on April 8 in Hammond against SLU before returning home to face Southern Miss in a three-game series April 10-12.
CAJUNS, SUN BELT AND THE RPI
• Louisiana entered the eighth week of the season ranked No. 26 overall in the WarrenNolan.com RPI rankings, with the 14th-toughest schedule in the country and 18th among non-conference opponents.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are also 27th in the latest NCAA NET rankings (as of March 29).
Louisiana is also one of four Sun Belt Conference schools ranked in the top-30 in the latest RPI release, joining Southern Miss (No. 9), reigning national runner-up Coastal Carolina (No. 16) and Texas State (No. 23).
• Arkansas State (No. 45) gives the Sun Belt five teams in the top 50.
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. The game will be available on ESPN+ with fans able to listen locally in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
The longtime I-10 rivals meet for the 183rd time on the diamond, with Louisiana (18-10) holding a 103-79 advantage in the all-time series.
Louisiana, which will travel to face James Madison in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series beginning on Thursday, enters the matchup riding strong midweek success, posting a 7-0 record.
Individually, Lee Amedee leads the team with an active eight-game hitting streak, while Drew Markle has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games. Jayce LaCava has provided a spark for the Ragin' Cajuns since entering the starting lineup, hitting .429 with a home run and four RBI over his last five games.
JR Tollett (4-1, 7.99 ERA) will look to get back on track for Louisiana, while McNeese (14-14) will send left-hander Brady Corcoran (0-1, 8.49 ERA) to the mound for his first start.
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.
GAME 29 PREVIEW
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (18-10) at McNeese Cowboys (14-14)
TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Tuesday (March 31) – 4 p.m.
LOCATION/SITE
Joe Miller Ballpark (1,500) | Lake Charles, La.
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUP
TUESDAY – 4 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH JR Tollett (6-2, 210, Jr., Ruston, La.)
'26 Stats: 4-1, 7.99 ERA, 32.2 IP, 36 H, 29 R, 29 ER, 10 BB, 32 K, .279 OppBA
McNEESE | RH Brady Corcoran (5-11, 210, Soph., Nederland, Texas)
'26 Stats: 0-1, 8.49 ERA, 11.2 IP, 14 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 6 BB, 13 K, .292 OppBA
RANKINGS
Louisiana –Receiving Votes (NCBWA)
McNeese – Unranked
RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
TV
Station – ESPN+
Talent – TBA (pxp); TBA (color)
RADIO (Pregame Show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM 96.5 / The Varsity Network App
Talent – Jay Walker (pxp); Anthony Babineaux (color)
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.Statbroadcast.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall – Louisiana leads, 103-79
In Lafayette – Louisiana leads, 59-25
In Lake Charles – McNeese leads, 50-44
Neutral Sites – McNeese leads, 4-0
Last 10 – Louisiana, 6-4
Streak – McNeese +2
LOUISIANA ON DECK
• Louisiana begins a five-game roadtrip when it visits McNeese in a Tuesday afternoon contest at Joe Miller Ballpark.
• The I-10 diamond rivals meet for the 183rd time with Louisiana holding a 103-79 lead in the all-time series.
• Former McNeese head coach/assistant coach Jimmy Ricklefsen is in his first season at UL as the program's Director of Personnel and Scouting.
• Louisiana is 7-2 in one-run games in 2026 after posting a 5-6 mark in 2025.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are 11-2 on the season when scoring six or more runs and 14-3 overall when allowing five runs or less.
• Lee Amedee has hit safely in his last eight games to lead the team while Drew Markle has reached base safely in his last 16 games to pace the club.
• During the midweek, Louisiana is 7-0 overall after its 9-3 win over Southeastern Louisiana on March 24.
• Head coach Matt Deggs is 97-56 all time against in-state teams.
• The weekend trio of Andrew Herrmann (4), Sawyer Pruitt (3), and JR Tollett (2) have combined for nine quality starts on the mound this season – two shy of last season's total in 58 games.
• Louisiana's combined 12 wins by its starting pitchers in 2026 equals the combined total of victories from last season.
• Jayce LaCava has hit safely in his last five games (.429, 1 HR, 4 RBI) since being inserted into the starting lineup in the finale of the Texas State series.
• Louisiana ranks in the top-50 among Division I schools in the following categories: fielding percentage (31st, .979), hits allowed per nine innings (33rd, 7.73), sacrifice bunts (21st, 20), shutouts (15th, 4), stolen bases (46th, 54), strikeout-to-walk ratio (37th, 2.60), WHIP (30th, 1.27) and walks allowed per nine innings (46th, 3.74).
SCOUTING McNEESE
• McNeese enters with a 14-14 overall record and 6-6 mark in Southland Conference play, posting an 8-11 record at home.
• Offensively, the Cowboys are hitting .257 as a team with Danny Barbero leading the team, batting .337 with five home runs and 31 RBI, while Matt Stancliff adds a .323 average and a team-high 17 stolen bases.
• On the mound, McNeese owns a 5.06 team ERA, allowing 139 earned runs in 247.0 innings with 291 strikeouts.
• Brady Corcoran has appeared in 11 games (all in relief), posting an 0-1 record with an 8.49 ERA over 11.2 innings pitched.
• Corcoran has allowed 14 hits, 11 earned runs and 5 home runs, while recording 13 strikeouts against 6 walks and holding opponents to a .292 batting average.
• McNeese salvaged a three-game series on Sunday with a walk-off 11-10 win over Abilene Christian.
• The Cowboys dropped the opening two games of the series, falling 6-4 on Friday before a 7-6 loss on Saturday.
WHAT'S ON TAP
• Louisiana hits the road on Wednesday and travels to Harrisonburg, Va., for a three-game SBC series beginning Thursday at James Madison (April 2-4).
• After completing the Thursday-Saturday series against JMU, the Ragin' Cajuns close out the road swing on April 8 in Hammond against SLU before returning home to face Southern Miss in a three-game series April 10-12.
CAJUNS, SUN BELT AND THE RPI
• Louisiana entered the eighth week of the season ranked No. 26 overall in the WarrenNolan.com RPI rankings, with the 14th-toughest schedule in the country and 18th among non-conference opponents.
• The Ragin' Cajuns are also 27th in the latest NCAA NET rankings (as of March 29).
Louisiana is also one of four Sun Belt Conference schools ranked in the top-30 in the latest RPI release, joining Southern Miss (No. 9), reigning national runner-up Coastal Carolina (No. 16) and Texas State (No. 23).
• Arkansas State (No. 45) gives the Sun Belt five teams in the top 50.
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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