The Cincinnati Bearcats took on the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns in the opening game of the double-elimination tournament in the Starkville regional as part of the College Baseball World Series. The Bearcats overcame an early 1-0 deficit, winning 12-2.
The game would start later than the anticipated time at 7:00 p.m. and start closer to 8:00 p.m. Cincinnati's Nathan Taylor (6-3) would start against Louisiana's Cody Brasch. The Ragin' Cajuns would strike in the top of the first inning to get the scoring going. Lee Amedee would score on an error by Charlie Niehaus. Brasch would also get off to a hot start, retiring the first three batters he saw. Taylor would get back on track in the second innings, holding Louisiana scoreless. Jack Natili would hit his first of three home runs in the bottom of the second, tying the game, 1-1.
The game would remain tied until the bottom of the fourth inning, where the Bearcats would explode for 5 runs. Brasch would retire 2 batters before Natili would reach first base on a single down the third base line. Enzo Infelise would hit a 2-run home run to give Cincinnati the lead. Cal Sefcik would reach first base on a single to right-center before Christian Mitchelle hit a triple to right-center, with Sefcik scoring to take a 4-1 lead. Niehaus would then make up for his earlier error, hitting a 2-run home run, taking a 6-1 lead with all five runs coming with 2 outs.
The Bearcats would get right back to it in the bottom of the fifth inning. Ryan Tyranski, the lead-off batter, would hit a home run to right field, and the Louisiana would take out Brasch and put in right-handed pitcher Garrett Carter. Coats would get walked, and Natili would hit his second home run of the game, extending the Bearcats' lead to 9-1.
Coats would bat in another run for Cincinnati after a leadoff double from Jackson Smith. Louisiana would answer in the top of the seventh inning with Donovan Lasalle reaching first base on a single to center, getting to second on a wild pitch, and then Donovan Madino sending him home on a single down the left field line.
The next score would come in the eighth inning, where Coats was walked and then sent home on a third home run from Natili, extending the Bearcats' lead to 12-2, the final score of the game.
You need a win, you trot out @NateTaylor11.
— Cincinnati Baseball (@GoBearcatsBASE) May 30, 2026
He's our new career wins leader! #Bearcats | #TenGames pic.twitter.com/qIikbUoMEN
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