BATON ROUGE, La. – The Little Rock Trojans excelled in a crucial match against top-seeded LSU at the Baton Rouge Regional by securing a 10-4 victory on Saturday night. Angel Cano significantly contributed to the Trojans’ triumph, hitting a two-run homer in the second inning followed by a bases-clearing double in the third. This win keeps the No. 4 seed Little Rock in contention, setting up a chance to advance to the super regionals with a victory over LSU on Monday night.
Little Rock, with a record of 27-33, is making just its second NCAA Tournament appearance and its first since 2014. LSU, undefeated against Little Rock on Friday after a convincing 7-0 win and a subsequent 12-0 victory over Dallas Baptist, entered the final rounds with momentum. Meanwhile, the Trojans, having ended their regular season by losing 13 of their final 14 games, rallied impressively by winning five consecutive games to clinch the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title. Their offensive prowess was on full display on Saturday as they exploded for 22 runs in a victory over Rhode Island and later dispatched Dallas Baptist 8-6 in an elimination showdown earlier on Sunday.
LSU began the night strong, with Steven Milam driving in two runs with a single that capped a three-run first inning. However, Little Rock responded quickly when Angel Cano launched a two-run homer in the second inning. By the third inning, the Trojans loaded the bases as Ryan Geck was grounded out, and Ty Rhoades, Cade Martin, and Cooper Chaplain all walked consecutively. Cano then defied Chase Shores (5-3) by overcoming three two-strike fouls, delivering a bases-clearing double that put Little Rock ahead. Chase Shores was subsequently replaced after conceding four runs within an inning of relief by Cooper Williams.
On the pitching side, Little Rock’s starter, Noah Burkey, permitted three runs over 1 2/3 innings before Brenden Katz relieved him, pitching a scoreless 1 2/3 innings and securing his first win of the season. Malcolm Brown later took to the mound, delivering 5 1/3 innings and allowing just one run on three hits to earn his first save. This robust collective effort has positioned Little Rock within striking distance of clinching a spot in the super regionals.