‍Montgomery, AL – With their season hanging in the balance, Louisiana delivered a gritty, come-from-behind 5–4 victory over Georgia Southern on Thursday afternoon at Riverwalk Stadium to stay alive in the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship. The win eliminates the Eagles from tournament play and pushes the Cajuns forward to a Friday matchup against the loser of the Coastal Carolina–Marshall winner's bracket game.

A Clutch Cajun Response

The Ragin’ Cajuns, who had been criticized for a flat performance in their previous outing against Marshall, bounced back with energy and execution when it mattered most. Senior second baseman Drew Markle was the offensive catalyst, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. Markle’s seventh-inning single tied the game and later helped spark a sequence that gave Louisiana the lead for good.

Designated hitter Luke Yuhasz continued his strong postseason showing, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Caleb Stelly chipped in a hit, a walk, and the eventual game-winning run.

Game Summary

Louisiana struck first with an RBI single from Yuhasz in the bottom of the first. Georgia Southern answered with a three-run double from Juju Stevens in the fifth inning, capitalizing on a bunt single, an error, and timely hitting to surge ahead 3–1.

But the Cajuns chipped away. In the sixth, they cut the lead to 3–2 when Lee Amedee was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Then came the momentum-shifting seventh: Markle's RBI single tied the game at 3–3, and he scored moments later following a throwing error by the Georgia Southern catcher and a fielding error in center field to give Louisiana a 4–3 lead.

Stevens momentarily pulled the Eagles even with a solo homer in the top of the eighth—his fourth RBI of the game—but the Cajuns responded immediately. Stelly singled, stole two bases on wild pitches, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Amedee to seal the 5–4 final.

On the Mound

Chase Morgan started for Louisiana and battled through five innings, giving up three runs (all unearned) on six hits while striking out nine over 101 pitches. The bullpen held strong, as JR Tollett took over in the sixth and worked four innings of two-hit, one-run ball to earn the win—his sixth of the year.

Tollett was especially effective late, retiring the final six batters he faced to shut the door on any Georgia Southern comeback hopes.

Looking Ahead

With the win, Louisiana (27–30) keeps its postseason hopes alive and earns another chance in the SBC tournament. The Cajuns will face either Marshall or Coastal Carolina on Friday in another elimination contest.

Senior right-hander Matthew Holzhammer is the likely starter for that game, and head coach Matt Deggs will be counting on his experience to extend the Cajuns' stay in Montgomery.

For Georgia Southern (28–31), the loss ends their 2025 campaign, which saw flashes of promise but fell short of a deep postseason run.

Final Box Score Highlights:

• Drew Markle (LA): 3-for-4, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB
• Luke Yuhasz (LA): 2-for-3, RBI
• Juju Stevens (GS): 2-for-4, 4 RBI, HR, 2B
• JR Tollett (LA): 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K (W, 6–4)

As the tournament narrows, Louisiana’s resilience will be tested once more. But after Thursday’s effort, the Cajuns have shown they still have plenty of fight left.