STARKVILLE, Miss. — It has been more than a decade since Louisiana baseball last crossed paths with Mississippi State in the NCAA Tournament, but memories of the 2014 postseason remain fresh for many Ragin’ Cajuns fans.
Louisiana still must get past Cincinnati in Friday’s opening-round game of the Starkville Regional for a chance to potentially face the host Bulldogs, but the possibility has stirred memories of one of the most successful seasons in program history.
During the 2014 campaign, Louisiana entered the NCAA Tournament as one of the nation’s top teams. The Ragin’ Cajuns won more than 50 games during the regular season, earned the No. 6 national seed and hosted both a regional and super regional in Lafayette.
Louisiana defeated Mississippi State twice during the Lafayette Regional to advance to the Super Regional round, adding another memorable chapter to the program’s postseason history.
For some fans making the trip to Starkville this weekend, those moments still carry significance as they hope this year’s team can create another postseason run.
“2014 we were number one probably in the country, so Mississippi State was in our regional and we kinda kicked a little butt,” one Louisiana fan said. “They didn’t like it. And guess what? We’re here to reclaim it now, here we are. So, I hope that we can win this one.”
Louisiana opens regional play against Cincinnati on Friday at 6 p.m. The winner would move on to face the winner between Mississippi State and Lipscomb on Saturday, May 30 at 8 p.m.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers