The Baton Rouge Rougarou celebrated Wednesday night's 5-4 walk-off win over the Acadiana Cane Cutters like they had just won a championship.
Because they did.
The Rougagou clinched the Texas Collegiate League first-half Louisiana division championship with a signature comeback win, scoring three runs in the seventh inning to tie the game at 4-4, then scoring the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. Blaise Priester and Byron Robinson Jr. combined for a pair of singles to score the winning run and set off a wild celebration in right field.
Afterward the team and staff posed for photos to mark the first championship in Rougarou history.
"To make history for this program, to clinch for the first time ever is big time for the city of Baton Rouge and for us as a program," first-year Rougarou coach Stephen Klein said. "I'm excited for the future and looking to win the whole thing."
The Rougarou improved to 17-3. The team had won 12 consecutive games before Tuesday night's 9-5 loss to the Cane Cutters. The standings will reset in July for the second half, the winner of which will also clinch a playoff spot. If the Rougarou wins that again, the second place team will qualify.
Wednesday's game was a another exciting rally for a team that has found ways to win numerous times this season on their way to the championship.
The Rougarou scored one run in the bottom of the third inning thanks to three walks and a wild pitch. But Baton Rouge gave up two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth to trail 4-1.
Then the Rougarou rallied, scoring three runs in the seventh. Grant Sawa drew a lead-off walk, followed by Casey Artigues' walk. With one out, Josh Shelly, who had three hits on the night, singled to load the bases. Taylor Walters drew a bases loaded walk to score Sawa. Priester single to score Artigues, and Shelly scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.
"The fight in this team is absolutely relentless," Klein added. "As you think you're out of it, boom, there we are back in the game."
The Rougarou will travel to the Acadiana Cane Cutters for the next two games, then will close out the June schedule at Lake Charles Saturday and Sunday.
By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer