STARKVILLE, Miss. (Interstat) — Donovan LaSalle homered twice and drove in three runs to lead Louisiana-Lafayette to an 8-6 victory over Cincinnati on Sunday in a playoff game at Dudy Noble Field, Polk-DeMent Stadium.

The Ragin’ Cajuns improved to 40-24 and eliminated the Bearcats, who fell to 38-22. Both teams finished with 10 hits each. Louisiana-Lafayette avenged a 12-2 loss to Cincinnati two days earlier.

LaSalle, who entered the game 1 for 9 in his previous two appearances, delivered the pivotal hits. His two-run homer in the third inning gave the Cajuns a 5-0 lead, and his solo shot in the sixth inning tied the game 6-6 after Cincinnati had rallied to take the lead. LaSalle finished 3 for 4 with two home runs and three RBIs.

The Bearcats jumped ahead early, scoring two unearned runs in the top of the first inning on a two-run single by Infelise. Cincinnati added three more runs in the fourth on a two-run homer by Cal Sefcik to take a 5-0 lead. The Cajuns answered with a five-run third inning, featuring LaSalle’s first homer and a two-run single by Rodriguez.

The game turned in the bottom of the sixth. After Cincinnati had regained the lead 6-5 in the top half on a run-scoring single by Niehaus, LaSalle led off the bottom of the inning with his second home run to left-center field, tying the game. Following a passed ball and a throwing error, Blaze Rodriguez singled to drive in the go-ahead run, making it 7-6. Colt Brown added a solo homer in the seventh to extend the lead to 8-6.

Louisiana-Lafayette pitcher Andrew Herrmann struck out eight over five innings but allowed four earned runs on six hits. Tyler Papenbrock earned the win with four innings of relief, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out four. Cincinnati starter Connor Blue went 5 2/3 innings, striking out three but allowing six earned runs on zero hits, a statistical anomaly driven by walks and defensive miscues. Chad Brown pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts for the Bearcats.

Charlie Niehaus had two hits and an RBI for Cincinnati, while Infelise also collected two hits. Blaze Rodriguez went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the Cajuns, and Drew Markle and Colt Brown each homered.

The Bearcats threatened in the ninth, putting two runners on with singles by Coats and Natili, but Infelise grounded out to end the game.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Cincinnati 8, Louisiana-Lafayette 7, and Interstat’s ELO system gave the Bearcats a 52.40 percent probability to win.