No. 17 Louisiana, Southern Miss set for SBC baseball weekend

Three-game series features rematch of 2023 SBC Championship game

LAFAYETTE – The No. 17-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball team opens a three-game Sun Belt Conference series beginning on Friday when it hosts league rival Southern Miss at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.

The series starts on Friday in a 6 p.m. contest before resuming on Saturday at 2 p.m. The final game of the three-game series is slated for Sunday with a 1 p.m. start.

All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp) and Eric Mouton (color) providing commentary. Fans in the Lafayette area can listen to each game of the series on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app with Jay Walker (pxp) and Brad Topham (color) on the call.

Louisiana (31-12, 15-3 SBC) faces Southern Miss (26-15, 11-7 SBC) for the second time as conference rivals and will meet for the 62nd time in a series which dates back to 1925. The teams met four times during the 2023 season with the Golden Eagles taking two of three games in Hattiesburg before a 6-2 victory in the 2023 SBC Championship game.

Trey LaFleur (.373-7-24) leads Louisiana at the plate with Kyle DeBarge (.347-13-42) pacing the Ragin’ Cajuns in both home runs and RBI. Duncan Pastore (.311-2-29), Conor Higgs (.305-9-24) and Caleb Stelly (.301-1-25) are next in hitting for the Ragin’ Cajuns, who enter the weekend ranked fifth in the SBC in team batting average (.295).

A pair of southpaws – Andrew Herrmann (4-2, 2.77 ERA) and Chase Morgan (4-1, 2.70 ERA) – will start in the opening two games for Louisiana with right-hander Carson Fluno (2-0, 2.70 ERA) expected to pitch in Sunday’s finale.

USM picked up an 11-6 win at Tulane on Tuesday as Nick Monistere had four hits and drove in four runs in the victory. The Golden Eagles took two of three games last at home against ULM, earning a pair of run-rule victories before falling the finale on Sunday.

Dalton McIntyre , the Sun Belt leader in hitting, paces USM with a .397 average with a pair of home runs and 23 RBI. David Gillespie (.315-6-22) is the other regular in the lineup hitting above .300 for Southern Miss with Slade Wilks (.297-9-37) leading the team in home runs.

Right-hander Billy Oldham (5-1, 4.13 ERA) will start in Friday’s opener for the Golden Eagles with right-hander Niko Mazza (6-3, 4.82 ERA) earning the start on Saturday.

Tickets for Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).

Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.

Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin’ Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

For the latest updates on Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.

GAMES 44-46 PREVIEW
No. 17 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (31-12, 15-3 SBC) vs. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (26-15, 11-7 SBC)

DATE/TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Friday – April 26, 6 p.m.
Saturday – April 27, 2 p.m.
Sunday – April 28, 1 p.m.

LOCATION/SITE
M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park (6,015) | Lafayette, La.

PITCHING MATCHUPS
FRIDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Jr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
’24 Stats: 4-2, 2.77 ERA, 48.2 IP, 39 H, 21 R, 15 ER, 19 BB, 49 K, .223 OppBA

USM | RH Billy Oldham (6-1, 217, Sr., Brookfield, Conn.)
’24 Stats: 5-1, 4.13 ERA, 56.2 IP, 48 H, 29 R, 26 ER, 19 BB, 59 K, .224 OppBA

SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Chase Morgan (6-3, 195, Fr., Cypress, Texas)
’24 Stats: 4-1, 2.70 ERA, 46.2 IP, 29 H, 18 R, 14 ER, 13 BB, 43 K, .174 OppBA

USM | RH Niko Mazza (5-11, 194, Jr., Madison, Miss.)
’24 Stats: 6-3, 4.82 ERA, 52.1 IP, 50 H, 32 R, 28 ER, 22 BB, 64 K, .255 OppBA

SUNDAY – 1 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Carson Fluno (6-1, 195, Sr., Sun Prairie, Wis.)
’24 Stats: 2-0, 2.70 ERA, 36.2 IP, 14 R, 11 ER, 16 BB, 33 K, .167 OppBA

USM | TBA

RANKINGS
Louisiana – 17th (D1 Baseball); 16th (USA Today Coaches’ Poll, NCBWA), 21th (Perfect Game); 25th (Baseball America)
USM – Receiving votes (NCBWA)

RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
RADIO (Pregame Show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM 96.5 / The Varsity Network App
Talent – Jay Walker (pxp); Brad Topham (color)

TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Dan McDonald (pxp); Eric Mouton (color)

LIVE STATS
CajunStats.com

SERIES RECORD
Overall: Southern Miss leads, 31-30
Last 10: Southern Miss, 8-2
Streak: Southern Miss +2

WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Friday (Presented by Planet Fitness)
• Lafayette Roofing Baseball Bingo
• T-Shirt Giveaway
• Louisiana Salutes Weekend (Ticket discount for Military and First Responders at the Russo Park Box Office)

Saturday (Presented by Home Furniture Plus Bedding)
• Enter for a chance to win a Ragin’ Cajuns American Flag Tailgate Tent
• Louisiana Salutes Weekend (Ticket discount for Military and First Responders at the Russo Park Box Office)
• Welcome Back the 2014 Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball Team (purchase two tickets for $20.14 by visiting RaginCajuns.com/2014).

Sunday (Presented by Rader)
• First pitch by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry
• Louisiana Salutes Weekend (Ticket discount for Military and First Responders at the Russo Park Box Office)
• Kid’s Day (Anthem Buddies, Third-Inning Junior Announcer, Kids Run the Bases Postgame)
• Touch-A-Truck Outside Russo Park (Fire Trucks, Police Cars and Ambulances will be stationed outside of Russo Park)

TICKETS
Available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).

WEATHER FORECAST (via Weather.com)
Friday: Mostly cloudy | High: 84° | Low: 72° | Winds: SSE 14-16 mph | Rain: 10%
Saturday: Mostly sunny | High: 85° | Low: 71° | Winds: SSE 15-20 mph | Rain: 10%
Sunday: Mixed clouds & sun | High: 85° | Low: 72° | Winds: SSE 15-25 mph | Rain: 20%

LEADING OFF
• No. 17 Louisiana and Southern Miss meet for the second time as Sun Belt Conference rivals beginning on Friday in a three-game series at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
• All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp) and Eric Mouton (color) on the call.
• Fans in the Lafayette area can listen to the games on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app. Jay Walker (pxp) and Brad Topham (color) will provide the commentary.
• The USM series will wrap up a four-game homestand for Louisiana, which will play six (Troy/Georgia Southern) of its next seven games on the road.
• Louisiana enters the weekend ranked second nationally in shutouts (6), fifth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.11), 10th in ERA (3.84), 14th in WHIP (1.28) and 24th in strikeouts per nine innings (10.3).
• Offensively, Louisiana is ranked 15th in triples (16), 27th in hits (426) and 39th in doubles (87).
• Kyle DeBarge is ranked among the top 100 players in NCAA Division I in total bases (35th, 116), hits (43rd, 61), home runs (88th, 13) and runs scored (94th, 44).
• Louisiana’s Chase Morgan (2.70) and Andrew Herrmann (2.77) are ranked second and third overall in ERA among SBC pitchers.
• Morgan is ninth among Division I pitchers in WHIP (0.90), is 13th in hits allowed per nine innings (5.59) and leads all Division I freshmen in ERA.
• LP Langevin’s 74 strikeouts during the 2024 season lead all SBC pitchers and is 30th nationally.

SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTHERN MISS
• Louisiana and Southern Miss meet for the 62nd time overall and fourth as Sun Belt Conference foes beginning with Friday’s contest at Russo Park.
• The Golden Eagles hold a 31-30 advantage in the series which dates back to 1925.
• USM claimed two of three games in last year’s SBC series in Hattiesburg.

WHAT’S UP NEXT
• Louisiana will take off for final exams before returning to the diamond beginning Friday (May 3) with a three-game series at Troy.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns will close out their midweek schedule on Tuesday (May 7) against Jackson State before heading to Statesboro, Ga., to face Georgia Southern (May 10-12) in a three-game SBC series.