Louisiana scored five first-inning runs, setting the tone to a 12-6 rout in the Cajuns' Sun Belt Tournament opener against Texas State.
Bobby Lada made the big hit of the first, a two-run triple capping off the two-out rally that led Louisiana to all five runs. Louisiana broke it open with three more in the sixth inning, a Jonathan Brandon triple scored two.
Starter Jack Burk pitched two innings, allowing two unearned runs on four hits before Matt Deggs emptied the bullpen. Deggs called on seven relief pitchers Wednesday night, all throwing one inning, and all but David Christie struck out two batters.
The win came in a game that was essentially meaningless. Texas State was eliminated from making the Championship bracket after its Tuesday loss to Appalachian State, and Louisiana only has to beat the Mountaineers to advance out of their pool. This is the first season the Sun Belt is using a pool system. The tournament is made of four pools of three teams. The top teams advance to a four team championship bracket. The situation created what Matt Deggs called afterwards "a glorified practice." Louisiana even threw Sam Riola out of the bullpen. The Cajuns opening day shortstop was injured early in the year. Unable to swing a bat due to the injury, he'd been working back as a relief pitcher, something he did in junior college.
The Cajuns play Appalachian State Thursday in a "win-to-advance" match-up. Louisiana will pitch Connor Cook.
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