LAFAYETTE — The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns used a two-run first inning and a five-run fifth to pull away from Nicholls, 7-1, on Wednesday night before an announced crowd of 3,824 at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
Louisiana (27-18), wearing throwback “USL” uniforms, limited Nicholls (24-20) to five hits while earning its fifth win in the last six games.
Murphy Brooks (2-0) earned the win with a scoreless fifth inning, while freshman Hayden Pearson recorded his first career save, working the final four innings with three strikeouts.
The Cajuns struck early in the first inning. Noah Lewis singled with one out and stole second before Rigoberto Hernandez drew a walk. Following a double steal, both runners scored on Colt Brown’s two-run single off Nicholls starter Austin Vargas (0-2) to give Louisiana a 2-0 lead.
Nicholls answered in the second when Keegan Giger scored on Greyson Shafer’s RBI double after three straight hits to open the inning. With runners at the corners, Louisiana starter Ty Roman regrouped, striking out two batters. After a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases, Roman struck out Nico Rijo-Berger to escape further damage.
Louisiana broke the game open in the fifth inning against reliever Tyler Avery. Donovan LaSalle led off with a single and moved to third on Drew Markle’s base hit. Mark Collins followed with an infield single to score LaSalle, and Lewis added an RBI single. Lee Amedee then doubled to left-center to bring in another run before Hernandez and Brown each drove in runs with sacrifice flies to cap the five-run inning.
Roman allowed one run on three hits over four innings, walking two and striking out four. Brooks, making his second appearance of the season after missing the 2025 campaign to injury, issued one walk in the fifth, and Pearson allowed two hits and one walk over the final four innings.
Louisiana returns to action this weekend when it hosts Georgia State in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series. Friday’s opener is scheduled for 6 p.m., followed by a 2 p.m. first pitch on Saturday and a 1 p.m. finale on Sunday. Saturday’s game will also feature the retirement of Jonathan Lucroy’s No. 21.
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