ATLANTA, GA – May 2, 2025 — The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns delivered a powerful statement Friday night at the GSU Baseball Complex, riding a six-run third inning and a dominant relief performance by sophomore Tate Hess to a 10-5 win over Georgia State. The victory secured a crucial Sun Belt Conference series-opening win and moved Louisiana to 13-9 in league play (23-24 overall), solidifying their spot near the top of the Sun Belt standings as postseason positioning heats up.

It was a rocky start for the Cajuns, as starter Chase Morgan labored early, surrendering five runs through just 3.2 innings. Georgia State struck for two runs in the first and added three more in the third, including a solo homer by Colin Hynek. But when Morgan exited, Hess entered — and the game changed entirely.

Hess was electric over 5.1 innings of relief, allowing no runs on just three hits while striking out 10 Panthers. With pinpoint command and a sharp breaking ball, he quieted Georgia State’s bats and shut the door on any comeback hopes.

“He was the difference-maker tonight,” said head coach Matt Deggs after the win. “We needed someone to settle us down, and Hess gave us that and more.”

Offensively, the Ragin’ Cajuns exploded in the top of the third inning. After a hit-by-pitch and a walk, first baseman Luke Yuhasz launched a three-run home run to left field to give Louisiana a 4-2 lead. The next batter, Conor Higgs, followed with a solo blast of his own to right center. Just one pitch later, Lee Amedee made it three straight with a homer to right, capping a stretch of back-to-back-to-back bombs that stunned the home crowd and flipped the game for good.

Higgs would later add a two-run single in the fifth, finishing with three RBIs on the night. Yuhasz tallied three RBIs as well, while Amedee had a multi-hit night with a stolen base to boot.

Louisiana’s offense was opportunistic and balanced — 11 hits, 10 runs, and production up and down the lineup. Maddox Mandino reached twice and tripled in the seventh, while Caleb Stelly and Drew Markle chipped in with timely base running and plate discipline.

Georgia State (24-23, 9-13 SBC) made several pushes early but couldn’t solve Hess late. They now fall further behind in the chase for Sun Belt tournament seeding.

With the win, Louisiana strengthens its hold on a top-four spot in the conference standings, setting up a chance to win the series outright on Saturday.

The series resumes Saturday at 11 a.m. CST in Atlanta, with the Cajuns looking to keep the momentum rolling behind their resurgent bats and deep bullpen.