LAFAYETTE — Louisiana baseball dropped its Tuesday night game, falling 9-7 to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
It was the first meeting between the two programs in 20 years, and the Vaqueros wasted no time making an impact, scoring three runs in the first inning and building a 5-1 lead by the middle of the third.
The Cajuns, however, responded quickly.
Louisiana erupted for five runs in the bottom of the third to take a 6-5 lead, appearing to swing momentum back in their favor.
However, the Cajuns bullpen struggled down the stretch, allowing UTRGV to retake control in the seventh. The Vaqueros scored three runs in the frame — none of which left the infield — and held on for the two-run win.
“It’s not good, just not good, period,” head coach Matt Deggs said after the loss. “We just seem to find ways to give people stuff, and it’s super frustrating. We’ll figure it out. You ain’t got a choice — sink or swim.”
Deggs pointed to early struggles from his pitching staff and the need to find consistency in relief.
“McGehee was able to settle down a little bit, couldn't hit a spot early — they were hitting it all over the place,” Deggs said. “You’re trying to reinvent guys on the fly. Theut’s back from injury, and we had to go to the bullpen. Then they score three without a ball leaving the infield.”
The loss drops Louisiana to 16-19 on the season with a quick turnaround on deck. The Cajuns will travel to Ruston on Wednesday to face Louisiana Tech — a team that beat them last week.
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