LAFAYETTE, La. – The Texas State baseball team lost an 8-7 decision to Louisiana in a Sun Belt Conference series opener Friday night at Russo Park.
 
The Bobcats dropped to 24-26 on the year and 10-15 in the SBC, while the Ragin' Cajuns improved to 31-19-1 overall and 15-9-1 in the league.
 
TXST initially took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a sacrifice bunt that plated junior Dylan Paul. UL responded with three in the home half of the frame and plated two more in the bottom of the fourth to pull ahead 5-2.
 
The Bobcats received a three-run home run from junior Luke Sherley in the top of the fifth to tie proceedings 5-5, but the Ragin' Cajuns regained the lead at 6-5 with a solo run in the bottom of the sixth.
 
Texas State momentarily took a 7-6 lead in the top of the eighth thanks to solo homers from junior Derek Scheible and sophomore Felipe Rodriguez, but the home team plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to earn the victory.
 
The maroon and gold outhit Louisiana 9-8, led by two each from Scheible, Paul and Rodriguez. Sherley drove in three runs, including his first homer of the year, while Scheible finished with two RBIs and Paul scored twice.
 
Sophomore Wes Engle started on the mound for Texas State and threw the first inning. He allowed three runs on two hits. Sophomore Brandon Lewis gave up two runs on two hits across the next 4.0 innings, which included tying his career high with four strikeouts. True freshman Broc Bosse and senior Quinn Atwood tossed the next 2.0 innings, and sophomore Connor Reich (2-5) suffered the loss after allowing two runs on two hits in the eighth.
 
Louisiana All-American pitcher Gunner Leger was saddled with his first no-decision at home after getting tattooed by TXST. The junior was tagged for a career-high five runs in just 5.0 innings, which was his shortest outing at home this season. He also walked a career-high four batters and struck out a career-low two batters. Leger entered the game having allowed just two runs at home all season. He also had a perfect 6-0 record at home in six starts through 41.2 innings before getting lit up by the Bobcats.
 
Leger also gave up his seventh double of the year, his first triple since his freshman year and just his third home run of the year. He entered second in the Sun Belt with a 1.47 ERA but saw his new number balloon nearly 50 points to 1.95.
 
Closer Wyatt Marks relieved Leger and fared no better, getting touched up for two home runs in 2.1 innings. He had allowed just four homers all season. Dylan Moore (2-1) picked up the win after getting the last five outs.
 
The two teams will continue the three-game series at 6 p.m. May 13.
 
-TxStateBobcats.com-