LAFAYETTE, La. – The Texas State baseball team earned an 11-1 run-rule triumph over Louisiana Friday night at the 2018 Sun Belt Conference Championship. The postseason tournament is being contested on UL's home turf, Russo Park.
 
The Bobcats (30-27-1) advanced to the semifinals of the championship, while the second-seeded Ragin' Cajuns (34-25) saw their season end. TXST, serving as the No. 6 seed in the event, will need to defeat No. 3 Troy twice in order to reach the finals. The Trojans knocked off Texas State 5-1 on Wednesday and defeated Louisiana 10-1 Thursday. Saturday's first pitch is slated for 12:30 p.m., with a 7 p.m. start for the 'if-necessary' contest.
 
Friday's outing began more than two hours after the originally-scheduled first pitch due to storms in the area that pushed back both elimination games. In a unique twist, Louisiana was forced to vacate the friendly confines of their home dugout as the maroon and gold was serving as the home team in the contest.
 
The first run of the game came in the top of the third off the bat of UL's Kole McKinnon, who sent a leadoff moonshot over the left-field wall. Texas State immediately responded with a tying run in the home half of the frame that was manufactured with three straight two-out singles.
 
Seniors Jared Huber and Dylan Paul both drove in runs in the fourth to give the Bobcats a slight 3-1 edge. The team used five hits and four walks in the fifth to erupt for seven runs and take a commanding lead. Huber scored on a wild pitch in the sixth to put the maroon and gold up by double digits, and the visitors on the scoreboard were unable to find a way to avoid the run-rule loss.
 
Huber went 0-for-2 at the plate but found a way to contribute an RBI and two runs scored. Senior Luke Sherley tied his season highs in both hits (3) and RBIs (3), while scoring once. Paul, junior Jaylen Hubbard and true freshman Dalton Shuffield all finished with two hits. Both Hubbard and Shuffield scored twice. Senior Mickey Scott also collected a pair of RBIs and scored a run.
 
Sophomore Zachary Leigh (4-3) was nearly untouchable on the mound, as he picked up his second win in as many starts against the Ragin' Cajuns. He allowed just one run on one hit in 6.0 innings, while striking out six and walking six. Junior Kyle Bradford tossed a perfect seventh on just nine pitches to complete the run-rule.
 
UL starting pitcher Nick Lee (3-7) suffered the loss after giving up seven runs on eight hits across 4.1 innings. Austin Perrin only managed to record one out and was pulled after giving up three runs on two hits. Michael Leaumont also conceded a run in an inning of work.
 
Texas State outhit Louisiana 12-1, and neither team committed an error in the fast-paced game.
 
The Bobcats had never defeated the Ragin' Cajuns in back-to-back games prior to the season but now has won three straight over UL after claiming the final two of the season series earlier this year. TXST also improved to 2-5 all-time against Louisiana in the Sun Belt tournament.
 
The win also gave Texas State its 15th 30-win season in the 19-year reign of head skipper Ty Harrington.
 
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