‍MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Louisiana's rollercoaster 2025 baseball season came to a screeching halt Friday night, as the Ragin’ Cajuns were eliminated from the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in a wild 17-13 loss to Marshall at Riverwalk Stadium. In a game that featured 30 runs, 33 hits, and plenty of drama, the Cajuns showed resilience but ultimately couldn’t recover from multiple early-inning breakdowns, both defensively and on the mound.

Louisiana wraps up a turbulent campaign with a final record of 27-31, capping a year filled with inconsistency, flashes of offensive brilliance, and some glaring deficiencies on the mound and in the field.

A Familiar Face Comes Back to Haunt the Cajuns

Perhaps the most poetic—and painful—storyline of the night was the revenge tour of former Cajun Jackson Halter, now a right fielder for Marshall. Halter went 3-for-6 with 3 RBIs, including a clutch RBI double in the sixth that helped break the game wide open. Once a member of Louisiana's own roster, Halter made his presence felt throughout the night and played with an edge that suggested this matchup was personal.

Early Collapse, Late Fight

The Cajuns jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the top of the first, highlighted by a steal of home by Luke Yuhasz and a run-scoring double from Lee Amedee. But the lead evaporated quickly, as Marshall hung five runs in the second and four more in the third, taking advantage of a string of walks, wild pitches, and defensive errors—several of which were charged to Louisiana’s shortstop, Drew Markle.

Marshall shortstop Maika Niu stole the spotlight with a monster performance: 4-for-6, three home runs, six RBIs, and a triple. His dominance at the plate was a dagger Louisiana never recovered from.

Still, the Cajuns didn’t fold. They stormed back with a four-run fifth and another four in the seventh, fueled by a scorching night from both Yuhasz (4-for-6, HR, 3 RBIs) and Conor Higgs (5-for-6, 2 doubles, 4 runs scored). Connor Cuff added a pair of hits and three RBIs to help power the rally.

Down 16-11 heading into the eighth, Louisiana scored twice more to make it 16-13. But the rally fizzled in the ninth when the final three Cajun batters went down in order against Marshall closer Nicholas Weyrich, who notched his seventh save of the season.

Pitching Woes and Defensive Misfires

Coach Matt Deggs leaned on a carousel of arms—seven pitchers in total—but none could establish any rhythm. Starter Andrew Herrmann was chased early after surrendering four runs in just over an inning. Matthew Holzhammer, the presumed ace entering the tournament, allowed four runs of his own in relief.

Overall, Cajun pitching allowed 17 runs (12 earned), walked seven, and hit a batter. Defensively, Louisiana committed three errors, two of which extended innings that led to scoring outbursts for Marshall.

A Long Offseason Ahead

With the season now over, the questions begin. Louisiana showed occasional flashes of a postseason-caliber team but was consistently hampered by sloppy defense, poor command from the pitching staff, and questionable in-game decision-making.

Coach Matt Deggs and his staff face a pivotal offseason. The program must take a hard look at roster construction, bullpen depth, and overall discipline. Player development and leadership within the clubhouse are also areas that need urgent attention. Tough questions must be asked about how this program, once among the Sun Belt’s elite, finds itself exiting early in the postseason after participating in a regional final just last year.

As for the players, the offseason soul-searching begins now—on how to turn flashes of potential into consistent performance.

Final Word

Louisiana didn’t go quietly. Their fight in the late innings, even when down by as many as eight runs, was a testament to their pride and competitive spirit. But fight alone wasn’t enough this time.

And for a program that holds itself to a higher standard, that simple truth will sting the most.