The good news is, the Baton Rouge Rougarou have a chance to win their first Louisiana Division championship at home Thursday night as they host the Acadiana Cane Cutters for the final time this season.
The bad news is, the Rougarou could not seal the deal Wednesday night in Youngsville.
The Acadiana Cane Cutters took a 3-2 walkoff win on a solo home run by Parker Gwyn in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the best-of-three series at 1-1. The Rougarou took Game One Tuesday night, 5-4. Now the two I-10 rivals will return to Goldsby Thursday night for the deciding game.
The winner will advance to the Texas Collegiate League championship game Saturday against the Texas champion. If the Rougarou win Thursday, that game will be played at Goldsby. The Texas series between the Victoria Generals and the Brazos Valley Bombers also is tied at 1-1.
Wednesday night's game was a battle. After a two-hour rain delay and five scoreless innings with only one Rougarou hit, Baton Rouge finally broke through in the top of the sixth with two runs. on four hits. Casey Artigues got it started with a one-out single, to right field. Josh Shelly and Ben Robichaux hit singles to load the bases. Blaise Priester drove in Artigues with a single to left and Shelly scored on a sacrifice fly by Dalton Wilson.
But the Rougarou lead did not last long. The Cane Cutters tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a walk and two hits, including an RBI double by Gwyn.
Rougarou starting pitcher Dylan Thompson gave a valiant effort, holding the Cane Cutters to no runs on five hits, walking one and striking out six in five innings. Reliever Patrick Vienne gave up three runs on three hits, walked one and struck out three in three innings.
By Lori Lyons, Rougarou Writer
Photo by Carla Walker