Louisiana's baseball squad posted a 12‑6 win over Texas State in the opening game of the Sun Belt Conference Championship, a result that forces a second showdown between the two clubs.
The decisive moment arrived in the eighth inning, when the Cajuns exploded for six runs, turning a close contest into a comfortable lead.
Freshman catcher Colt Brown sparked the rally with two RBIs and two hits, while Parker Smith delivered five solid innings on the mound, allowing just two runs and three hits.
Donovan LaSalle was the offensive centerpiece, launching home runs in the second and ninth frames that helped steady the lead.
Additional contributors included Steven Spalitta, whose RBI single added a run, and Maddox Mandio, whose two‑RBI single capped the eighth‑inning surge.
Earlier in the game, Mark Collins tied the score with an RBI double, and Jackson Cotton scored a third‑inning run with a single.
A Late Surge at Riddle‑Pace Field
The teams will meet again at Riddle‑Pace Field, where Texas State hopes to rebound after a solo home run from Clayton Namken and a run‑scoring single by Noah Lewis.
With the championship on the line, both clubs are expected to bring fresh strategies and heightened intensity to the next contest.