CAJUNS GAMER: Louisiana erupts in season opener

The 2024 season began the right way for the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns as they opened the 38th annual Louisiana Classics with a 21-2 win over the Chattanooga Mocs.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Louisiana got their first baserunner of the 2024 season when Sophie Piskos were hit by a pitch. After that, both Lauren Allred and Samantha Graeter were walked to load the bases with two outs. A bases-loaded walk scored Piskos to put the Cajuns ahead 1-0 before a two-run single from Victoria Valdez made it 3-0 Louisiana.

The Cajuns weren’t done as Sam Roe laced a three-run homer to left field in her first Louisiana at-bat to make it 6-0 Louisiana. Then, a tapper by Mihyia Davis and smart baserunning moved Davis to second and scored Maddie Hayden before Piskos got an RBI single to bring Davis home to make it 8-0 after just one inning.

Louisiana continued to pour on the runs in the second inning as it started with a three-run double by Hayden to make it 11-0 before back-to-back bases-loaded walks made it 13-0 in favor of the Cajuns.

Chattanooga got on the board in the top of the third with a bases-loaded walk to make it 13-1, making way for Lexie Delbrey to make her first appearance in the Lamson Park circle.

In the bottom half of the inning, Mihyia Davis laid down a bunt and reached first base, scoring Cecilia Vasquez from third and moving both Davis and Hayden into scoring position. Louisiana grabbed two more runs on a fielding error by Chattanooga’s shortstop off a Sophie Piskos hit to make it 15-1. The next batter was Brooke Ellestad, who singled down the right field line to make it 16-1 in the bottom of the third.

After a bloop single from Graeter and Vasquez getting hit by a pitch, Victoria Valdez hit a two-run double to make it an 18-1 in the 2024 season opener. Another run scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 19-1 in the bottom of the fourth. The inning with a two-run homer from Piskos to make it 21-1 after four complete.

Denali Loecker came in for the fifth inning and surrendered a pair of base runners before Chloe Riassetto came in to try and close out the game. The Mocs were able to get a single right down the first baseline to add one more run to the board to make it 21-2.

BIG NUMBER: 21

21 runs were scored by the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns in their season-opening win over UT-Chattanooga.

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Sophie Piskos/Maddie Hayden/Victoria Valdez

The three sluggers combined for eight of the team’s 13 base hits and 12 runs batted in. Maddie Hayden with a bases-clearing double and Piskos added a late two-run home run.

UP NEXT: Louisiana will play Cal Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at Lamson Park in their second game of the Louisiana Classics.