Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball vs Marshall – Know Before You Go
(Lafayette, Louisiana) – The No. 19-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball team closes out a season-long, nine-game homestand beginning Friday when it plays host to Marshall in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
First pitch for Friday’s opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series will continue on Saturday with a 2 p.m. contest before the series finale on Sunday at 1. All three games in the weekend series will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Fans in the Lafayette area will be able to listen live on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app. Live stats will be available at CajunStats.com.
Louisiana (25-9, 11-1 SBC) enters the three-game series on an 11-game win streak in conference play after posting sweeps of Old Dominion, Texas State and ULM over the last three weekends. The Ragin’ Cajuns split in a pair of midweek games, capped by a 7-2 loss to in-state rival Louisiana Tech on Wednesday which snapped the nation’s longest win streak at 16 games.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will meet Marshall (16-19, 5-7 SBC) for the second consecutive year after earning a three-game road sweep over the Thundering Herd in last year’s inaugural series between the schools.
Junior left-hander Andrew Herrmann (3-1, 1.99 ERA), second in the SBC in earned run average, will start in Friday’s opener for Louisiana with freshman southpaw Chase Morgan (3-1, 2.34 ERA), third in the SBC in ERA scheduled for start on Saturday.
Senior right-hander Carson Fluno (1-0, 2.81 ERA) will start in Sunday’s finale for Louisiana, which leads the league in team ERA (3.62) and is second in strikeouts (336).
Kyle DeBarge leads Louisiana at the plate with a .338 average, 12 home runs and 37 RBI. The junior shortstop has hit at a .386 clip in league games with four home runs and 16 RBI. Josh Alexander (.310-2-18), Duncan Pastore (.308-2-22), Jose Torres (.308-1-19) and John Taylor (.306-4-20) are next in hitting for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Marshall took two out of three games last week against visiting Texas State and earned a 3-2 walk-off win over in-state rival West Virginia on Wednesday. The Thundering Herd are led at plate by Cam Harthan with a .343 average.
Owen Ayers (.291-6-18) and Elijah Vogelsong (.229-6-21) share the team lead in home runs for the Thundering Herd with Ayers producing 13 doubles on the season. Harthan and Gio Ferraro (.220-1-12) each lead the team with nine stolen bases.
Right-hander Drew Harlow (5-3, 4.86 ERA) will earn the start in Friday’s opener for Marshall with left-hander Bryce Blevins (2-0, 1.68 ERA), the SBC leader in ERA slated to pitch on Saturday. Right-hander Carter Lyles (0-2, 4.68 ERA) is expected to start in Sunday’s finale.
Tickets for Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.
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 35-37 PREVIEW
No. 19 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (25-9, 11-1 SBC) vs. Marshall Thundering Herd (16-19, 5-7 SBC)
DATE/TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Friday – April 12, 6 p.m.
Saturday – April 13, 2 p.m.
Sunday – April 14, 1 p.m.
LOCATION/SITE
M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park (6,015) | Lafayette, La.
PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andrew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Jr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
’24 Stats: 3-1, 1.99 ERA, 40.2 IP, 29 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 14 BB, 43 K, .204 OppBA
MARSHALL | RH Drew Harlow (6-2, 215, Sr., Halifax, Va.)
’24 Stats: 5-3, 4.86 ERA, 46.1 IP, 44 H, 28 R, 25 ER, 12 BB, 41 K, .244 OppBA
SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Chase Morgan (6-3, 195, Fr., Cypress, Texas)
’24 Stats: 3-1, 2.34 ERA, 34.2 IP, 21 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 9 BB, 28 K, .171 OppBA
MARSHALL | LH Bryce Blevins (5-11, 195, So., Louisa, Ky.)
’24 Stats: 2-0, 1.68 ERA, 48.1 IP, 41 H, 15 R, 9 ER, 13 BB, 34 K, .230 OppBA
SUNDAY – 1 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Carson Fluno (6-2, 190, Sr., Sun Prairie, Wis.)
’24 Stats: 1-0, 2.81 ERA, 25.2 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 11 BB, 26 K, .181 OppBA
MARSHALL | RH Carter Lyles (6-3, 260, Sr., Madison, W.Va.)
’24 Stats: 0-2, 4.68 ERA, 25.0 IP, 36 H, 16 R, 13 ER, 7 BB, 14 K, .333 OppBA
RANKINGS
Louisiana – 19th (D1 Baseball); 21st (NCBWA, Perfect Game); 24th (Baseball America, USA Today Coaches Poll); RPI - 53
Marshall – Unranked; RPI - 165
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); Brad Topham (color)
TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Dan McDonald (pxp), Brennan Breaux (color); Eric Mouton (color)
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall: Louisiana leads, 3-0
Last 10: Louisiana, 3-0
Streak: Louisiana +3
PROMOTIONS
FRIDAY (presented by Cajun Country Rice)
• Lafayette Roofing Baseball Bingo
• Rice Paddle Giveaway
SATURDAY (presented by Jersey Mike’s)
• Cup Giveaway
SUNDAY
• Kid’s Day (Anthem Buddies, Kids Run the Bases Postgame)
• Young Ragin’ Cajuns Club Junior Announcer
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