# 2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team

The 2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team represented the University of Louisiana at Lafayette during the 2021 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Ragin' Cajuns played their home games at M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park and were led by second–year head coach Matt Deggs. They were members of the Sun Belt Conference.

## Previous season

On March 12, 2020, the Sun Belt Conference announced the indefinite suspension of all spring athletics, including baseball, due to the increasing risk of the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 13, Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards signed an executive order banning gatherings of over 250 people until as early as April 18, thus ending all possible future 2020 home or in-state games until that time if the season were to continue. Soon after, the Sun Belt cancelled all season and postseason play.

## Preseason
### Signing-day recruits

| Player | Hometown | Previous Team |
| Pitchers |||
| Bo Bonds | Suwannee, Florida | Chipola College |
| Cole Elkins | Fort Wayne, Indiana | Homestead HS |
| Adam Guth | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Barbe HS |
| Antoine Harris | Chalmette, Louisiana | Mississippi Gulf Coast CC |
| Tommy Ray | Quincy, Illinois | John A. Logan |
| Tony Rossi | Sanford, Florida | State College of Florida |
| Dylan Theut | Fulshear, Texas | Blinn College |
| Peyton Zabel | Pierre, South Dakota | Iowa Western CC |
| Hitters |||
| Jack Clark | Whitehouse, Texas | Whitehouse HS |
| Kyle DeBarge | Lake Charles, Louisiana | Barbe HS |
| Clint Lasiter | Benton, Louisiana | Benton HS |
| Mason Zambo | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Catholic HS |

### Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll

The Sun Belt Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 15, 2021 and the Cajuns were picked to finish third in the West Division and fourth overall in the conference.
Coaches poll (West) :
| Predicted finish | Team | Votes (1st place) |
| 1 | Texas State | 65 (6) |
| 2 | UT Arlington | 58 (4) |
| 3 | Louisiana | 52 (2) |
| 4 | Little Rock | 33 |
| 5 | Louisiana–Monroe | 27 |
| 6 | Arkansas State | 13 |

### Preseason All-Sun Belt Team & Honors

* Aaron Funk (LR, Pitcher)
* Jordan Jackson (GASO, Pitcher)
* Conor Angel (LA, Pitcher)
* Wyatt Divis (UTA, Pitcher)
* Lance Johnson (TROY, Pitcher)
* Caleb Bartolero (TROY, Catcher)
* William Sullivan (TROY, 1st Base)
* Luke Drumheller (APP, 2nd Base)
* Drew Frederic (TROY, Shortstop)
* Cooper Weiss (CCU, 3rd Base)
* Ethan Wilson (USA, Outfielder)
* Parker Chavers (CCU, Outfielder)
* Rigsby Mosley (TROY, Outfielder)
* Eilan Merejo (GSU, Designated Hitter)
* Andrew Beesly (ULM, Utility)

## Schedule and results

Legend :
| | Louisiana win |
| | Louisiana loss |
| | Postponement/Cancelation/Suspensions |
| Bold | Louisiana team member |
2021 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball game log :
Regular season (30-22) :
February (6-2) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record |
| Feb. 19 | at Tulane | Greer Field at Turchin Stadium • New Orleans, LA | L 2-3 (10 inn.) | Price (1-0) | Wilson (0-1) | None | ESPN+ | 339 | 1-0 |
| Feb. 20 | at Tulane | Greer Field at Turchin Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 9-8 (10 inn) | Dixon (1-0) | Campbell (0-1) | Talley (1) | ESPN+ | 362 | 1-1 |
| Feb. 21 | at Tulane | Greer Field at Turchin Stadium • New Orleans, LA | W 9-7 (12 inn) | Burk (1-0) | Price (1-1) | None | ESPN+ | 369 | 2-1 |
| Feb. 23 | Louisiana Tech | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 2-0 | Arrighetti (1-0) | Whorff (0-1) | Talley (2) | ESPN+ | 795 | 3-1 |
| Feb. 24 | No. 11 LSU | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 2-11 | Hellmers (1-0) | Cooke (0-2) | None | ESPN+ | 1,183 | 3-2 |
| Feb. 26 | Rice | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 7-3 | Durke (1-0) | Holcomb (0-1) | None | ESPN+ | 890 | 4-2 |
| Feb. 27 | Rice | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 5-3 | Nelson (1-0) | Brogdon (0-1) | Arrighetti (1) | ESPN+ | 911 | 5-2 |
| Feb. 28 | Rice | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 6-3 | Robinson (1-0) | Deskins (0-1) | Schultz (1) | ESPN+ | 761 | 6-2 |
March (8-9) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Mar. 2 | at Louisiana Tech | J. C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park • Ruston, LA | W 7-2 | Cooke (1-2) | Griffen (0-1) | None | | 387 | 7-2 | |
| Mar. 3 | at McNeese State | Joe Miller Ballpark • Lake Charles, LA | L 3-4 | Duplechain (1-0) | Moriarty (0-1) | Reeves (1) | | 402 | 7-3 | |
| Mar. 5 | Houston Baptist | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 5-2 | Durke (2-0) | Zarella (0-2) | None | ESPN+ | 737 | 8-3 | |
| Mar. 6 | Houston Baptist | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 4-1 | Arrighetti (2-0) | Coats (0-2) | Schultz (2) | ESPN+ | 610 | 9-3 | |
| Mar. 7 | Houston Baptist | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 4-6 (11 inns) | Reitmeyer (1-1) | Angel (0-1) | Burch (1) | ESPN+ | 735 | 9-4 | |
| Mar. 10 | at No. 3 Mississippi State | Dudy Noble Field, Polk–DeMent Stadium • Starkville, MS | L 0-4 | Harding (2-1) | Perrin (0-1) | None | SECN+ | 2,976 | 9-5 | |
| Mar. 12 | at Southern Miss | Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS | L 4-13 | Stanley (2-1) | Durke (2-1) | None | CUSA.TV | | 9-6 | |
| Mar. 13 | at Southern Miss | Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS | L 0-1 | Powell (2-0) | Arrighetti (2-1) | Ramsey (4) | CUSA.TV | | 9-7 | |
| Mar. 14 | at Southern Miss | Pete Taylor Park • Hattiesburg, MS | L 3-6 (11 inns) | Hall (1-1) | Schultz (0-1) | None | CUSA.TV | | 9-8 | |
| Mar. 16 | at Nicholls | Ben Meyer Diamond at Ray E. Didier Field • Thibodaux, LA | W 9-8 | Cooke (2-2) | Theriot (2-2) | Bradford (1) | | 733 | 10-8 | |
| Mar. 19 | No. 15 TCU | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 7-2 | Arrighetti (3-1) | Smith (3-1) | None | ESPN+ | 918 | 11-8 | |
| Mar. 20 | No. 15 TCU | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 4-13 | Krob (2-0) | Durke (2-2) | None | ESPN+ | 902 | 11-9 | |
| Mar. 21 | No. 15 TCU | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 1-5 | Ray (1-1) | Robinson (1-1) | Green (3) | ESPN+ | 894 | 11-10 | |
| Mar. 26 | Coastal Carolina | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 9-2 | Arrighetti (4-1) | VanScoter (2-1) | None | ESPN+ | 1,004 | 12-10 | 1-0 |
| Mar. 27 | Coastal Carolina | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 3-5 | Parker (2-1) | Menard (0-1) | Barrow (1) | ESPN+ | 828 | 12-11 | 1-1 |
| Mar. 28 | Coastal Carolina | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 5-3 | Perrin (1-1) | Hopwood (4-1) | Cooke (1) | ESPN+ | 730 | 13-11 | 2-1 |
| Mar. 29 | Coastal Carolina | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 7-0 | Burk (2-0) | Green (0-1) | None | | 418 | 14-11 | |
April (8-8) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| Apr. 1 | at Louisiana–Monroe | Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA | W 9-5 | Arrighetti (5-1) | Barnes (1-2) | None | ESPN+ | 694 | 15-11 | 3-1 |
| Apr. 2 | at Louisiana–Monroe | Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA | W 5-2 | Cooke (3-2) | Barlow (3-3) | Talley (4) | ESPN+ | 676 | 16-11 | 4-1 |
| Apr. 3 | at Louisiana–Monroe | Warhawk Field • Monroe, LA | W 11-9 | Christie (1-0) | Lindsay (1-2) | None | ESPN+ | 617 | 17-11 | 5-1 |
| Apr. 6 | Nicholls | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 3-2 | Menard (1-1) | Kilcrease (2-3) | Durke (1) | | 815 | 18-11 | |
| Apr. 9 | Arkansas State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 10-3 | Arrighetti (6-1) | Jeans (1-1) | Talley (5) | ESPN+ | 900 | 19-11 | 6-1 |
| Apr. 10 | Arkansas State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 9-0 | Cooke (4-2) | Nash (1-3) | None | ESPN+ | 851 | 20-11 | 7-1 |
| Apr. 11 | Arkansas State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 11-16 | Jumper (1-2) | Christie (1-1) | Stone (3) | | 782 | 20-12 | 7-2 |
| Apr. 18 | at South Alabama | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 1-4 | Lee (3-2) | Arrighetti (6-2) | Smith (2) | ESPN+ | 811 | 20-13 | 7-3 |
| Apr. 19 | at South Alabama | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-3 | Boyd (2-1) | Talley (0-1) | Samaniego (5) | ESPN+ | | 20-14 | 7-4 |
| Apr. 19 | at South Alabama | Eddie Stanky Field • Mobile, AL | L 2-8 | Booker (4-0) | Durke (2-3) | None | ESPN+ | 648 | 20-15 | 7-5 |
| Apr. 21 | McNeese State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 4-3 | Burk (4-0) | Abraham (2-1) | Schultz (3) | ESPN+ | 643 | 21-15 | |
| Apr. 23 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | L 2-8 | Arnold (6-3) | Arrighetti (6-3) | Barkley (6) | ESPN+ | 256 | 21-16 | 7-6 |
| Apr. 24 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | L 3-4 (10 inns) | Delgadillo (2-0) | Nelson (1-1) | None | ESPN+ | 490 | 21-17 | 7-7 |
| Apr. 25 | at Little Rock | Gary Hogan Field • Little Rock, AR | W 7-4 | Dixon (2-0) | Wallner (0-1) | Talley (5) | ESPN+ | 390 | 22-17 | 8-7 |
| Apr. 27 | Louisiana–Monroe | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 6-7 | Longsworth (1-2) | Christie (1-2) | Wepf (3) | | 567 | 22-18 | |
| Apr. 30 | Texas State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 3-9 | Leigh (4-5) | Arrighetti (6-4) | None | ESPN+ | 887 | 22-19 | 8-8 |
May (8–3) :
| Date | Opponent | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Attendance | Overall record | SBC record |
| May 1 | Texas State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 9-0 | Cooke (5-2) | Wood (2-4) | None | | 826 | 23-19 | 9-8 |
| May 2 | Texas State | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 2-6 | Wofford (3-1) | Perrin (1-2) | None | | 426 | 23-20 | 9-9 |
| May 7 | North Alabama | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 11-1 | Arrighetti (7-4) | Davidson (2-6) | None | ESPN+ | 563 | 24-20 | |
| May 8 | North Alabama | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 5-2 | Cooke (6-2) | Best (1-9) | Menard (1) | ESPN+ | 539 | 25-20 | |
| May 9 | North Alabama | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 13-3 | Burk (4-0) | Haberstock (1-4) | None | ESPN+ | 461 | 26-20 | |
| May 11 | Southern | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| May 14 | at UT Arlington | Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX | W 4-3 (15 inns) | Marshall (1-0) | Brooks (0-2) | Dixon (1) | ESPN+ | 314 | 27-20 | 10-9 |
| May 15 | at UT Arlington | Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX | L 2-6 | Bullard (7-3) | Cooke (6-3) | King (3) | ESPN+ | 314 | 27-21 | 10-10 |
| May 16 | UT Arlington | Clay Gould Ballpark • Arlington, TX | W 7-4 | Marshall (2-0) | Logan (1-2) | Talley (7) | ESPN+ | 314 | 28-21 | 11-10 |
| May 18 | at New Orleans | Maestri Field at Privateer Park • New Orleans, LA | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled | Game cancelled |
| May 20 | Troy | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | L 5-6 | Gainous (9-4) | Arrighetti (7-5) | Oates (8) | ESPN+ | 460 | 28-22 | 11-11 |
| May 21 | Troy | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 3-2 | Cooke (7-3) | Ortiz (6-5) | Talley (8) | ESPN+ | 958 | 29-22 | 12-11 |
| May 22 | Troy | M. L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park • Lafayette, LA | W 2-1 | Dixon (3-0) | Witcher (5-4) | Schultz (4) | | 1,227 | 30-22 | 13-11 |
Post-season (2–1) :
SBC Tournament (2–1) :
| Date | Opponent | Seed/Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | TV | Overall record | Tournament record |
| May 26 | vs. (6W) Texas State | (1W) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 12-6 | Burk (5-0) | Sundgren (0-4) | None | ESPN+ | 31-22 | 1-0 |
| May 26 | vs. (4E) Appalachian State | (1W) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | W 7-2 | Talley (1-1) | Tuthill (4-6) | Arrighetti (2) | ESPN+ | 32-22 | 2-0 |
| May 29 | vs. (2E) Georgia Southern | (1W) | Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium • Montgomery, AL | L 2-3 (11 inns) | Thompson (7-1) | Arrighetti (8-6) | None | ESPN+ | 32-23 | 2-1 |
    Schedule Source:
*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the D1Baseball poll.

## Postseason
### Conference accolades

* Player of the Year: Mason McWhorter – GASO
* Pitcher of the Year: Hayden Arnold – LR
* Freshman of the Year: Garrett Gainous – TROY
* Newcomer of the Year: Drake Osborn – LA
* Coach of the Year: Mark Calvi – USA
References:

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked RV = Received votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| Coaches' | — | —* | RV | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Baseball America | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| Collegiate Baseball^ | RV | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
| NCBWA† | RV | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | RV | RV | RV | — | — | — | | | | |
| D1Baseball | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | | | | |
^ Collegiate Baseball ranked 40 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranked 30 teams weekly during the season. † NCBWA ranks 35 teams in their preseason poll, but only ranks 30 teams weekly during the season. * A new poll was not released for this week, so for comparison purposes, the previous week's ranking is inserted in this week's slot.