Cajuns Drop JMU Series as Deggs Ejected in Wild Finish

HARRISONBURG, Va. (103.3 The GOAT) — The Ragin’ Cajuns had this one in their hands. Louisiana took Game 1 of its road series at James Madison on Thursday and had chances to put the Dukes away over the following two days.

Instead, UL dropped Games 2 and 3 by a combined score of 11-6, surrendered the series, and sent social media buzzing after coach Matt Deggs was ejected from Saturday’s finale for charging toward the opposing dugout.

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How the Series Unfolded

Louisiana opened the series on a high note Thursday night, with Lee Amedee and Donovan LaSalle each going deep to help the Cajuns’ bullpen shut down the Dukes over the final five innings for a 5-4 win. It was UL’s first series-opening win of the Sun Belt season.

Friday night was a gut-punch. Louisiana took a 5-2 lead into the eighth inning before JMU tied it on a two-out, two-run home run. Then, according to The Advocate, an error in the 11th inning gave the Dukes the game-winner in a 6-5 defeat. Louisiana left 13 runners on base.

Saturday wasn’t any prettier. JMU plated three runs in the first inning off starter Ty Roman and never trailed. The Cajuns left 13 men on base again, drew nine walks, and managed just five hits in a 5-1 loss.

The Deggs Ejection Goes Viral

Most of the attention Saturday, though, had nothing to do with the box score.

In the fourth inning, with the Cajuns trailing 3-0, outfielder Maddox Mandino led off with a grounder to the JMU first baseman, who picked it up and waited for Mandino on the baseline to take the out. Mandino didn’t slow down. He lowered his shoulder into the contact, and as umpires discussed whether to eject Mandino for malicious contact, Deggs bolted toward the James Madison dugout.

According to The Advocate, the umpires had to physically restrain Deggs. The Dukes stayed in their dugout at their coach’s direction, and Deggs kept arguing until he was sent to the locker room. Mandino was ejected on the play as well.

Jomboy Media picked up the video and it spread fast across college baseball social media.

The emotion didn’t spark a comeback. UL managed only one run the rest of the way.

By the Numbers

Ty Roman settled in after a rough first inning, completing a season-high six innings with six strikeouts. The three-run hole was too deep, and JMU used six pitchers to keep the Cajuns off the board the rest of the way.

Lee Amedee was the bright spot at the plate, reaching base all four times and extending his hitting streak to 12 games. Mark Collins went 2-for-4 with a double and a triple. But Amedee’s run in the seventh was the only one UL could push across.

JMU’s Conner Worth put the game away with a two-run double in the eighth.

What’s Next

Louisiana heads back east on Wednesday, this time to Hammond for a midweek matchup against Southeastern Louisiana at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

The Cajuns sit at 19-13 overall and 4-8 in Sun Belt play. There’s still time to turn it around, but leaving 13 men on base in back-to-back losses against a team at .500 is not a formula for getting to the conference tournament.