University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, April 3
Harrisonburg, Va.
4:00 p.m. ET
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
5
at
6
James Madison
Dukes Walk Off Cajuns In 11 Innings To Even Series
4/3/2026 10:13:00 PM | Baseball
Rubber game of series scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Jack Anderson scored from first base when Louisiana misplayed a sacrifice bunt, lifting James Madison to a 6-5, 11-inning win Friday at Eagle Field at Veterans Memorial Park and evening the Easter weekend series at one game apiece.
Anderson led off the 11th inning with a single against Louisiana reliever Parker Smith (1-3). Kyle Langley followed with a bunt to third baseman Rigoberto Hernandez, but his throw sailed past second baseman Owen Galt, who was covering first, allowing Anderson to score the game-winning run.
Griffin Madden (1-0), the seventh pitcher of the night for James Madison, earned the win after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and an intentional walk, hit one batter and struck out four.
Smith was charged with the loss after pitching for the second consecutive day. He allowed four hits and two runs, one earned, over 2.1 innings.
Both teams escaped bases-loaded, no-out situations in the late innings. James Madison threatened in the ninth when Anderson singled and Smith threw wildly to first on Langley's sacrifice bunt. Clay Thompson was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Louisiana countered by bringing right fielder Donovan LaSalle into the infield.
The move paid off as Ike Smidley grounded to Hernandez, who threw home, and catcher Colt Brown relayed to LaSalle to complete a double play. Smith then induced a groundout from Jack Guerrero to end the inning.
Louisiana (19-12, 4-7 SBC) had its chance in the 11th to regain the lead when Lee Amedee singled to right. Hernandez followed with a base hit, and both advanced on a wild pitch. Steven Spalitta was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Madden struck out LaSalle and Galt and retired Brown on a fly ball to preserve the tie.
James Madison (14-15, 5-6 SBC) opened the scoring in the first inning. Langley was hit by a pitch and Thompson drew a walk off Louisiana starter Andrew Herrmann before Smidley moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Langley scored on a sacrifice fly by Reece Moody.
The Dukes added a run in the third when Thompson singled and moved to second on a Smidley base hit. After a double steal, Thompson scored on a throwing error – the first of three by the Ragin' Cajuns.
After being limited to three hits through five innings by starter Luke Alexander, Louisiana broke through in the sixth. Amedee singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, moved to third on a double by Spalitta and scored on a sacrifice fly by Trip Dobson. Moody answered in the bottom half with a solo home run to push the lead to 3-1.
Maddox Mandino began a four-run rally in the seventh when he doubled and scored on an RBI single by Noah Lewis. After a pitching change, Spalitta delivered a game-tying single, and LaSalle followed with a bloop RBI single to right to give the Cajuns a 4-3 lead. Pinch-hitter Josh Lim added an RBI single to extend the advantage to 5-3.
In the eighth, Moody reached on a strikeout and wild pitch, and Guerrero singled to end Herrmann's outing. After a baserunning miscue produced the second out, Wyatt Campbell hit a two-run home run off Smith to tie the game at 5-5.
Hernandez went 3-for-5 to lead Louisiana's 13-hit attack. Herrmann notched his fifth quality start of the season, scattering six hits and allowing three earned runs through 7.1 innings.
The teams will meet in the rubber game of the series Saturday at 10 a.m. CT. The game will be available on ESPN+ with fans able to listen locally on KPEL-FM (96.5) and on-line on the Varsity Network app.
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.
Anderson led off the 11th inning with a single against Louisiana reliever Parker Smith (1-3). Kyle Langley followed with a bunt to third baseman Rigoberto Hernandez, but his throw sailed past second baseman Owen Galt, who was covering first, allowing Anderson to score the game-winning run.
Griffin Madden (1-0), the seventh pitcher of the night for James Madison, earned the win after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and an intentional walk, hit one batter and struck out four.
Smith was charged with the loss after pitching for the second consecutive day. He allowed four hits and two runs, one earned, over 2.1 innings.
Both teams escaped bases-loaded, no-out situations in the late innings. James Madison threatened in the ninth when Anderson singled and Smith threw wildly to first on Langley's sacrifice bunt. Clay Thompson was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Louisiana countered by bringing right fielder Donovan LaSalle into the infield.
The move paid off as Ike Smidley grounded to Hernandez, who threw home, and catcher Colt Brown relayed to LaSalle to complete a double play. Smith then induced a groundout from Jack Guerrero to end the inning.
Louisiana (19-12, 4-7 SBC) had its chance in the 11th to regain the lead when Lee Amedee singled to right. Hernandez followed with a base hit, and both advanced on a wild pitch. Steven Spalitta was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Madden struck out LaSalle and Galt and retired Brown on a fly ball to preserve the tie.
James Madison (14-15, 5-6 SBC) opened the scoring in the first inning. Langley was hit by a pitch and Thompson drew a walk off Louisiana starter Andrew Herrmann before Smidley moved both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Langley scored on a sacrifice fly by Reece Moody.
The Dukes added a run in the third when Thompson singled and moved to second on a Smidley base hit. After a double steal, Thompson scored on a throwing error – the first of three by the Ragin' Cajuns.
After being limited to three hits through five innings by starter Luke Alexander, Louisiana broke through in the sixth. Amedee singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games, moved to third on a double by Spalitta and scored on a sacrifice fly by Trip Dobson. Moody answered in the bottom half with a solo home run to push the lead to 3-1.
Maddox Mandino began a four-run rally in the seventh when he doubled and scored on an RBI single by Noah Lewis. After a pitching change, Spalitta delivered a game-tying single, and LaSalle followed with a bloop RBI single to right to give the Cajuns a 4-3 lead. Pinch-hitter Josh Lim added an RBI single to extend the advantage to 5-3.
In the eighth, Moody reached on a strikeout and wild pitch, and Guerrero singled to end Herrmann's outing. After a baserunning miscue produced the second out, Wyatt Campbell hit a two-run home run off Smith to tie the game at 5-5.
Hernandez went 3-for-5 to lead Louisiana's 13-hit attack. Herrmann notched his fifth quality start of the season, scattering six hits and allowing three earned runs through 7.1 innings.
The teams will meet in the rubber game of the series Saturday at 10 a.m. CT. The game will be available on ESPN+ with fans able to listen locally on KPEL-FM (96.5) and on-line on the Varsity Network app.
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.
Players Mentioned
IF
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RHP/C
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IF
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IF
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LHP
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OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
C
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