University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, March 6
Dallas, Texas
6:35 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Dallas Baptist
Louisiana Baseball Preview: at Dallas Baptist
3/5/2026 8:14:00 PM | Baseball
Ragin' Cajuns have won 10 of last 11 games entering final non-con weekend series
LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team closes out its final nonconference weekend of the regular season when it travels to face Dallas Baptist in a three-game series beginning Friday at Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark.
First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. before concluding Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+, while fans can listen locally on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide through the Varsity Network app.
Louisiana (10-3), winners of 10 of its last 11 games, claimed its past two weekend series with a three-game sweep of Maryland before taking two of three last weekend against UC San Diego. The Ragin' Cajuns also earned a midweek victory over No. 2 LSU on Wednesday as Cody Brasch picked up his first win in a Louisiana uniform and freshman Sawyer Pruitt recorded his first career save.
A trio of newcomers has paced the Cajuns offensively this season. Colt Brown is hitting .347 with six RBI, while Rigoberto Hernandez is batting .317 with two home runs and eight RBI. Blaze Rodriguez has added a .283 average with eight RBI. Maddox Mandino enters the weekend leading the team with nine RBI while batting .277.
Lee Amedee (.277-1-8) recorded two hits, including an RBI double, in Wednesday's win over LSU, while Drew Markle (.261-2-8) is tied for the team lead with two home runs.
Southpaw Andrew Herrmann (2-0, 1.33 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday's opener for Louisiana. Junior right-hander JR Tollett (2-0, 5.82 ERA) will take the mound on Saturday, while Sunday's starter has yet to be announced.
Dallas Baptist (8-5) was shut out for the first time this season Tuesday in a 2-0 loss at No. 10 Oklahoma. The Patriots opened the season with four straight victories before dropping a three-game series at UTSA from Feb. 20-22. DBU went 3-1 last week, taking two games from Air Force while splitting a pair against Oral Roberts.
Ben Tryon leads the Patriots at the plate with a .367 average, plus three home runs and 11 RBI. Cooper Neville is hitting .361 with three home runs and 14 RBI, while Adam Berghult is batting .353 with two home runs and nine RBI. As a team, DBU is hitting .301 with 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases.
Dallas Baptist is expected to start a trio of right-handers during the series. Russ Smith (1-1, 10.80 ERA) will start Friday, followed by Jared Schaeffer (2-0, 4.05 ERA) on Saturday and Ryan Borberg (0-1, 8.10 ERA) in Sunday's finale.
Louisiana has won six of the eight meetings in the all-time series, with all previous matchups played in Lafayette. Dallas Baptist took two of three games in last year's series at Russo Park.
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 14-16 PREVIEW
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (10-3) at Dallas Baptist Patriots (8-5)
TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Friday (March 6) – 6 p.m.
Saturday (March 7) – 3 p.m.
Sunday (March 8) – 1 p.m.
LOCATION/SITE
Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark (2,000) | Dallas, Texas
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY - 6:30 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andrew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Gr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
'26 Stats: 2-0, 1.33 ERA, 20.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 11 BB, 26 K, .081 OppBA
DBU | RH Russ Smith (6-0, 200, Soph., Burden, Kan.)
'26 Stats – 1-1, 10.80 ERA, 10.0 IP, 12 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 8 BB, 10 K, .333 OppBA
SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH JR Tollett (6-3, 210, Jr., Ruston, La.)
'26 Stats – 2-0, 5.82 ERA, 17.0 IP, 16 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 3 BB, 21 K, .246 OppBA
DBU | RH Jared Schaeffer (6-1, 185, Sr., Katy, Texas)
'26 Stats: 2-0, 4.05 ERA, 13.1 IP, 15 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 7 BB, 13 K, .278 OppBA
SUNDAY – 1 p.m.
LOUISIANA | TBA
DBU | RH Ryan Borberg (6-1, 210, Sr., Lake Quivira, Kan.)
'26 Stats: 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 6.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, .250 OppBA
RANKINGS
Louisiana – None
DBU – Receiving Votes (NCBWA)
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); Anthony Babineaux (color - Friday); Craig Melancon (color – Saturday/Sunday)
TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Reagan Ratcliff (pxp); Brendan Smith (color)
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.Statbroadcast.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall – Louisiana leads, 6-2
In Lafayette – Louisiana leads, 6-2
In Dallas – First meeting
Last 10 – Louisiana, 6-2
Streak – Louisiana +1
First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. before concluding Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+, while fans can listen locally on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide through the Varsity Network app.
Louisiana (10-3), winners of 10 of its last 11 games, claimed its past two weekend series with a three-game sweep of Maryland before taking two of three last weekend against UC San Diego. The Ragin' Cajuns also earned a midweek victory over No. 2 LSU on Wednesday as Cody Brasch picked up his first win in a Louisiana uniform and freshman Sawyer Pruitt recorded his first career save.
A trio of newcomers has paced the Cajuns offensively this season. Colt Brown is hitting .347 with six RBI, while Rigoberto Hernandez is batting .317 with two home runs and eight RBI. Blaze Rodriguez has added a .283 average with eight RBI. Maddox Mandino enters the weekend leading the team with nine RBI while batting .277.
Lee Amedee (.277-1-8) recorded two hits, including an RBI double, in Wednesday's win over LSU, while Drew Markle (.261-2-8) is tied for the team lead with two home runs.
Southpaw Andrew Herrmann (2-0, 1.33 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday's opener for Louisiana. Junior right-hander JR Tollett (2-0, 5.82 ERA) will take the mound on Saturday, while Sunday's starter has yet to be announced.
Dallas Baptist (8-5) was shut out for the first time this season Tuesday in a 2-0 loss at No. 10 Oklahoma. The Patriots opened the season with four straight victories before dropping a three-game series at UTSA from Feb. 20-22. DBU went 3-1 last week, taking two games from Air Force while splitting a pair against Oral Roberts.
Ben Tryon leads the Patriots at the plate with a .367 average, plus three home runs and 11 RBI. Cooper Neville is hitting .361 with three home runs and 14 RBI, while Adam Berghult is batting .353 with two home runs and nine RBI. As a team, DBU is hitting .301 with 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases.
Dallas Baptist is expected to start a trio of right-handers during the series. Russ Smith (1-1, 10.80 ERA) will start Friday, followed by Jared Schaeffer (2-0, 4.05 ERA) on Saturday and Ryan Borberg (0-1, 8.10 ERA) in Sunday's finale.
Louisiana has won six of the eight meetings in the all-time series, with all previous matchups played in Lafayette. Dallas Baptist took two of three games in last year's series at Russo Park.
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 14-16 PREVIEW
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (10-3) at Dallas Baptist Patriots (8-5)
TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Friday (March 6) – 6 p.m.
Saturday (March 7) – 3 p.m.
Sunday (March 8) – 1 p.m.
LOCATION/SITE
Joan and Andy Horner Ballpark (2,000) | Dallas, Texas
PROJECTED PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY - 6:30 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andrew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Gr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
'26 Stats: 2-0, 1.33 ERA, 20.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 11 BB, 26 K, .081 OppBA
DBU | RH Russ Smith (6-0, 200, Soph., Burden, Kan.)
'26 Stats – 1-1, 10.80 ERA, 10.0 IP, 12 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 8 BB, 10 K, .333 OppBA
SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH JR Tollett (6-3, 210, Jr., Ruston, La.)
'26 Stats – 2-0, 5.82 ERA, 17.0 IP, 16 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 3 BB, 21 K, .246 OppBA
DBU | RH Jared Schaeffer (6-1, 185, Sr., Katy, Texas)
'26 Stats: 2-0, 4.05 ERA, 13.1 IP, 15 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 7 BB, 13 K, .278 OppBA
SUNDAY – 1 p.m.
LOUISIANA | TBA
DBU | RH Ryan Borberg (6-1, 210, Sr., Lake Quivira, Kan.)
'26 Stats: 0-1, 8.10 ERA, 6.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 6 K, .250 OppBA
RANKINGS
Louisiana – None
DBU – Receiving Votes (NCBWA)
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); Anthony Babineaux (color - Friday); Craig Melancon (color – Saturday/Sunday)
TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Reagan Ratcliff (pxp); Brendan Smith (color)
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.Statbroadcast.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall – Louisiana leads, 6-2
In Lafayette – Louisiana leads, 6-2
In Dallas – First meeting
Last 10 – Louisiana, 6-2
Streak – Louisiana +1
Players Mentioned
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LHP
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INF
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