Our Lady of the Lake’s postseason run came to a halt in the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament second round, as the Saints fell 5–2 to Texas A&M–Texarkana in the Final Four. Despite the result, OLLU remains in the conversation for a potential at-large bid to the NAIA Opening Round, though their postseason fate is not yet certain.
The Saints (34-18 overall, 19-8 RRAC) entered the matchup with momentum and a strong body of work, but ran into a composed Texarkana squad. OLLU showed flashes of resilience throughout the contest but ultimately could not overcome the Eagles.
Texas A&M–Texarkana struck early pressure against OLLU starter Noah Ferraro, who had been dominant throughout the season entering the game with an 8-1 record. Ferraro worked through six innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits while striking out five. The damage largely came via the long ball, as Austin Kerns and Tobin Jones each delivered home runs to give Texarkana a narrow but significant edge.
Offensively, the Saints generated seven hits but struggled to string together consistent rallies. Brett Atkinson provided a standout performance at the plate, going 3-for-4 and serving as a catalyst for much of OLLU’s offense. Diego Zuniga delivered the Saints biggest highlight with a solo home run, accounting for one of the team’s two runs, while Joshua Milton added an RBI to keep OLLU within reach.
Trailing 3-2 entering the late innings, OLLU remained in contention before Texarkana extended its lead in the seventh inning. A brief relief outing from Xavior Salazar saw the Eagles push across two additional runs, creating separation that proved difficult to erase. Nolan Nicholson stabilized things on the mound, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings with five strikeouts to keep the deficit from growing further.
While the loss is not the storybook ending to the conference tournament, OLLU’s season remains notable for its consistency and competitiveness within the RRAC. With 34 wins and a strong conference record, the Saints have positioned themselves as a potential candidate for an at-large berth in the national tournament. If selected, they will have an opportunity to extend their season and build on an already successful campaign.
If not, the Saints conclude the year with a 34-18 record, reflecting a season of growth, resilience, and competitive play at the top of the conference standings. Regardless of the outcome, OLLU demonstrated throughout the year that it can compete with the best in the RRAC and beyond, setting a solid foundation for the program moving forward.