Yuhasz walks it off to upset No. 21 DBU 

For the second straight weekend, and the third time this season, the Cajuns would be taking on a ranked team. This past weekend they hosted No. 21 Dallas Baptist University at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park. The biggest question for the Cajuns going into the series was pitching, All-Sun Belt player, RHP Chase Morgan was out with an injury. 

The Cajuns would make use of their bullpen and batting during Friday night’s upset win over the Patriots 6–5, clinched with a walk-off double courtesy of Luke Yuhasz. 

Louisiana performed extremely well at the plate in Friday’s game, earning six runs thanks to reliable batters, old and new. 

Jose Torres led the way with two hits in three at bats, earning an RBI in the process. The best hitter though was sophomore second baseman Sam Ardoin, getting three hits in four at bats including an RBI. 

Yuhasz scored two hits as well, including his walk-off double. Freshman shortstop Owen Galt made an appearance as well, subbing in for Drew Markle, where he would score a hit in two at bats and earn a run. 

While the Cajuns’ bats were working to score, the pitching staff made sure the game did not get out of reach, though it was a close call. 

The start was given to the big senior, Matthew Holzhammer, who would give another solid and reliable performance for the Cajuns in the three innings he pitched. He only gave up three hits and a run while striking out four Patriot batters. 

Holzhammer would be replaced at the top of the fourth inning by Andrew Hermann. Hermann gave up four hits and struck out two, giving up a walk in the process. Hermann would be pulled during the sixth after giving up a homerun and a hit to back-to-back batters. 

Replacing Hermann was James Trimble, who would quickly be pulled for Dylan Theut after walking his first two batters. 

Theut would quickly finish the inning with back-to-back outs on a fielder’s choice and a flyout. He would continue to perform well in the seventh, ending the Patriot attack in three batters despite walking one thanks to a 6–4–3 double play. 

The Cajuns would move some players around on defense entering the top of the eighth, where Theut would have another 1–2–3 inning, getting himself on a good roll going into the final inning. 

The ninth would not be so kind to Theut. He started out well, striking out the first two batters before he loaded the bases with walks and hitting a batter with a pitch. He would then give up hits to let DBU take the lead 5–3. 

Theut would be taken off for junior RHP Alex Rosario who would get the last out of the inning. 

The bottom of the ninth would be one of the best innings for Louisiana so far this season, seeing hit after hit from the Cajun lineup to secure the win 6–5. 

Saturday’s game under thick clouds would not be as kind to Louisiana who would lose the game 10–6. 

The loss can mainly be put on one person, though mistakes throughout the game would end up costing the Cajuns the win. 

The start would be given to Parker Dillhof who began the game the best way any pitcher could, forcing the first three batters out. That initial momentum would help the Cajuns earn a run to make the game 1–0 going into the second. 

The second inning saw the game blow up in Dillhof ’s and the Cajun’s faces. Starting the inning by hitting the first batter, Dillhof would proceed to give up five runs while only allowing two hits. 

This performance would see him pulled for JR Tollet, who would pitch for most of the game. 

Tollet pitched six innings before being pulled at the top of the eighth. In those six innings he gave up four hits and two runs, though only one being an earned run. In that span he also struck out five batters and only walked one. 

Riley Marcotte would replace Tollet in the eighth, finishing the inning and pitching some of the ninth. During that period, he gave up the two final runs that sealed the Cajuns fate despite their efforts to come back. 

Yuhasz would have another great game at the plate, scoring two hits in four at bats including an RBI, Torres being the only other decent batter getting two hits as well. 

The third and final game against DBU on Sunday, Mar. 9 had not been played at the time this article was written. 

Louisiana will begin conference play next weekend, taking on yet another ranked opponent, No. 19 Troy. The series will be played at home at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.