James Madison University’s baseball team lost 5-4 to the Louisiana Rajin’ Cajuns in their series opener on April 2. The game was played in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The close contest saw JMU record four runs on seven hits, while Louisiana finished with five runs on nine hits. The outcome affects both teams’ records in the Sun Belt Conference, with JMU now at 13-15 overall and 4-6 in conference play, and Louisiana at 19-11 overall and also 4-6 in conference games.
Clay Thompson led the Dukes offensively by going two-for-four at the plate, including his third home run of the season. Kyle Langley contributed a hit and walked twice from the leadoff spot, while Cameron Aycock went two-for-three with a walk. On the mound for Louisiana, Parker Smith earned his first win of the season by pitching three and one-third innings in relief. Cody Brasch secured his fourth save after striking out six batters.
The game’s scoring began when Langley prevented a home run but could not stop Louisiana from hitting one shortly after. Thompson responded for JMU with a solo homer to tie it up. In the third inning, Steven Spilatta hit a double that brought home three runners for Louisiana. Donovan LaSalle added another run for the Cajuns with a solo homer in the fourth inning.
JMU narrowed its deficit to one run later that inning by capitalizing on walks and timely hitting but could not overtake their opponents despite loading the bases twice more during key moments late in the game. Jack Guerrero extended his streak of reaching base safely to fourteen games, while Thompson stretched his hit streak to seven games and recorded his fifteenth career multi-RBI game.
Looking ahead, James Madison will face Louisiana again tomorrow at 4 p.m., with live coverage available on ESPN+.
