Cane Cutters News

The Acadiana Cane Cutters made the trip over to Bryan, TX to open their season in a two-game stint versus the Brazos Valley Bombers. 

Game one saw both teams go scoreless for the first half. UNO Privateer Trey Usey got the jump on the mound for the Cane Cutters, giving up just two hits and collecting three strikeouts through the fourth inning. 

The Bombers broke through in the fifth inning after Zach Daigre singled to center field and later scored on an RBI groundout by Bryce Grizzaffi. The Cane Cutters were quick to respond: Reid Snider mashed Acadiana’s second hit of the night into center for a single and moved to third base on an error by the second baseman. Fellow LA Tech Bulldog Jake LaRocca shattered his bat to bring Snider home on an RBI groundout, effectively tying the ballgame at 1-1 in the top of the seventh.

Despite the late game effort, Brazos Valley’s offense came alive in the eighth inning. Pitcher Caleb Muffoleto gave a free base to Ty Hodge, who scored on an RBI single by Cooper Smith to reclaim the home team’s lead. A hit batter and subsequent walk resulted in Blayne Newman swapping in for Muffoleto on the mound, facing a bases-loaded situation. Despite needing just one out, a passed ball and an error by the shortstop resulted in all three baserunners making it home. 

Unable to respond offensively in the final inning, the Cane Cutters fell 5-1 to the Bombers on Friday night. Bombers pitcher Daniel Dial walked away with the win, while Muffoleto took the loss. The Cutters posted a mere three hits on the night, compared to the Bombers’ six.

Game two was a different story, and the Acadiana Cane Cutters retook Edible Field with a vengeance. Resident NSU Colonel Ashton Quiller singled to open the first inning and scored on Bryce Calloway’s sac-fly, putting Lafayette up one early.

Bomber Tristan Russell responded in the second inning with a double, also scoring on a sacrifice fly to even the game. In immediate retaliation, Quiller stole home on a wild pitch in the third inning to give the Cutters the edge back.

A firework break in the middle of the outing spelled a stall for Acadiana, giving the Bombers room to catch up on the scoreboard. Nathan Howard took the mound over from J.C. Acosta in the seventh, tossing a wild pitch that gave way for Jaxon Daigre to tack on the second run of the night for Brazos Valley. 

Unable to snap the tie, both squads moved into extra innings. Dylan Biddick crushed one into deep left field for an RBI double, scoring ghost runner Ashton Quiller from third. Biddick’s double was the first extra-base hit of Cane Cutters’ 2024 season. 

Back in the field, Howard eliminated the Bombers’ own ghost runner with a quick pick-off for the first out. Another pick was nearly made after Zach Daigre was caught off guard at first, but a conference between umpires changed the call to an unfavorable balk. A heated Darien Dukes attempted to challenge the overturn, but it was to no avail as Daigre took a free trip to second base.

Desperate to earn the third out and clinch the win, Howard’s attempt to pick Daigre off again at second proved near-fatal as the throw missed into the outfield, advancing both Daigre and a walked Grant Watkins into scoring position. With breath held, Tristan Russell’s deep fly ball was snagged by Blaise Blanchar in right field for the final out, securing the Cane Cutters first win of the year 3-2.

Nathan Howard earned his first win of the season, while Bomber Cayden Maxwell took the loss. The Cane Cutters finished with seven hits to their opponent’s six and evened their season to a 1-1 record. 

The Acadiana Cane Cutters will play the Seguin River Monsters on the road June 1-2, with both games starting at 7:05 p.m. CT. These games will be streamed live on TCL TV. 

Fans can keep up with the Acadiana Cane Cutters on X (@Canecuttersbb), Instagram  (@Acadiana_canecutters), and Facebook (@Acadiana Cane Cutters Baseball).  

Special thanks to Sports Writer Maddy Branning