LAFAYETTE, La. – The Texas State baseball team defeated Louisiana 8-4 Saturday night at Russo Park to even the weekend Sun Belt Conference series at one game apiece.
 
The Bobcats improved to 25-26 overall and 11-15 in the SBC, while the Ragin' Cajuns dropped to 31-20-1 on the year and 15-10-1 in the league. TXST also remained undefeated (4-0) against UL in the middle game of a weekend series since the Bobcats joined the Sun Belt in 2014.
 
For the second day in a row, TXST took a 1-0 lead in the second inning thanks to Dylan Paul. In back-to-back games, the junior doubled and scored for the maroon and gold in his first trip to the plate. He is now riding a team best 12-game hitting streak.
 
Also for the second-straight day, UL quickly responded with three runs of its own to take a 3-1 lead. Texas State tied the game with two runs in the top of the sixth, but the home team went on top 4-3 on a bases-loaded wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
 
The Bobcats then erupted for three runs in the eighth and two in the ninth to earn the victory.
 
Texas State blasted 14 hits, which was the most Louisiana has allowed in a 9-inning game this season and the second-most overall this year (Louisiana Tech had 15 hits in a 13-inning game earlier this season).
 
Sophomores Jaylen Hubbard and Jonathan Ortega led the way with three hits each. Hubbard drove in three runs, and Ortega finished with two RBIs and three runs scored. Juniors Derek Scheible and Luke Sherley had a pair of hits and combined to score three times.
 
True freshman Nicholas Fraze started on the mound and threw 6.2 innings in a no-decision. He conceded four runs on six hits, while striking out six and walking three. Sophomore Brayden Theriot (4-1) was nearly perfect in the final 2.1 frames to pick up the win. He did not allow a hit and only walked one batter.
 
Jevin Huval (0-2) suffered the loss for the Ragin' Cajuns after giving up two runs on three hits in 2.0 innings. Dylan Moore entered the game third in the Sun Belt with 10 saves, but he blew a save opportunity and gave up one run on one hit in just 0.1 inning. Evan Guillory tossed the final 1.1 frames and allowed two runs on four hits. Colten Schmidt started and gave up three runs on six hits, while logging 5.1 innings.
 
Louisiana finished with just six hits, led by two from Zach LaFleur. The leadoff hitter also scored.
 
The two teams are slated to complete the series at 1 p.m. May 14.

-TxStateBobcats.com-