LAFAYETTE, La. (JMU Athletics) – With two on and two down in the eighth inning, Louisiana used a wind-aided triple to retake the lead, as James Madison baseball fell, 5-2, on Friday afternoon at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field in Sun Belt Conference action.

The Dukes dropped to 9-17 (4-3 SBC) while the Ragin’ Cajuns improved to 12-15 (4-3 SBC).

Senior Ryan Dooley led the way at the plate for JMU, going 3-for-4, the lone Duke with multiple hits. Sophomore Jackson Logar outdueled Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year Chase Morgan, going a career-high seven innings while striking out four and giving up just one hit and one unearned run.

How It Happened
First Inning
The Cajuns took advantage of an error that allowed a runner to get into scoring position, knocking in the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly.

Third Inning
Freshman Reece Moody and senior Eli Steadman both got on to lead off the third, successfully pulling off a double steal to put runners in scoring position. The Dukes then tied it on a Maddux Fleck sacrifice fly, before senior Coleman Calabrese singled in a go-ahead run two batters later to give JMU a 2-1 lead.

Eighth Inning
Louisiana used a single and a walk to get two on after a pair of strikeouts began the inning. A fly ball was hit into right field, but the wind blew the ball just outside the range of a sliding Dooley, resulting in a two-run triple to regive UL the lead. A fielding error the next followed by a single added two runs to make it 5-2.

Game Notes
• Jackson Logar tossed his second quality start in a row and third in his last four starts.
• Ryan Dooley’s three-hit game was his 11th of his career with at least three hits.
• JMU falls for the first time this season after leading through seven innings, dropping to 7-1.

Up Next
The Dukes and Cajuns meet tomorrow, March 29 in the middle game of the series with a 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT first pitch.

— JMU Athletics —