MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Texas State wrapped up its 2021 season Wednesday night with a 12-6 loss to Louisiana in pool play of the Sun Belt Conference Championship held at Riverwalk Stadium.
 
The Bobcats finish the year with a 21-36 record while the Ragin' Cajuns improve to 31-22 and will take on Appalachian State on Thursday for a spot in the semifinals.
 
On the mound, Trevis Sundgren (0-4) took the loss as he surrendered five runs on four hits in an inning of work. Jack Burk (5-0) threw two innings and allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts to earn the win.
 
TXST used seven pitchers out of the bullpen. Otto Wofford struck out one in two scoreless frames and Rhett McCaffety recorded two strikeouts, the first of his collegiate career, in 1.1 scoreless innings. Also throwing an inning was Garrett Herrmann, Jonathan Martinez, Austin Smith and Tristan Stivors.
 
At the dish, both Chase Evans and Dalton Shuffield went 2-for-4. Evans scored and drove in a run. Also plating a run on the night was Johnny Gonzales, Justin Thompson and Jaxon Williams.
 
Swiping a base each was Bryce Bonner, Tucker Redden and Evans.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns struck first in the top of the first with a five-run frame.
 
Bonner led off the second with a high chopper to third that was misplayed to allow him to reach base. Two batters later Redden was plunk and the duo executed a double steal. A deep fly ball to center off the bat of Evans plated the first run of the game for the Bobcats.
 
Williams followed the sac fly with a double to right center that brough home Redden and cut the deficit to 5-2.
 
UL responded with a run in the next half inning off a sacrifice fly. The Cajuns would add two more in the fourth and three runs in the sixth to take a nine-run lead.
 
The seventh began with Evans singling to right center. After a Will Hollis drew a walk and was lifted for pinch runner Wesley Faison, Justin Thompson singled to right center to plate a run. The throw to the plate was off the mark and allowed Faison to score on the play as well to cut the deficit to 11-4.
 
In the top of the eighth, UL responded with a run on a groundout to first following a leadoff triple.
 
Bonner began the bottom half of the inning with a single to center and was lifted for Ben McClain as a pinch runner. Gonzales followed by lacing an 0-2 pitch down the right field line for an RBI double. After a wild pitch and walk drawn by Redden, a ground ball plated the sixth and final run of the game for the Bobcats.
 
Smith came on and struck out two and induced a popup for a scoreless top of the ninth.
 
Zachary Leigh was given a chance to pinch hit and recorded his first official at bat since 2017 to start the bottom of the ninth. Cole Coffey would double down the right field line and McClain followed with a single to center to put runners on the corners. Peyton Lewis was plunked to load the bases but the Cajuns recorded a strikeout to end the game.
 
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