, the Lafayette Fire Department responded to a fire at M.L. Tigue Moore Field at Russo Park, the home of Louisiana baseball. As first reported by Ragin Review, the fire broke out on the outskirts of the left and centerfield wall, near the pine trees that surround Tigue Moore. The Lafayette Fire Department confirmed that the sparks from construction equipment ignited the pine needles causing the fire the spread to the fence and the old scoreboard.
The fire comes after the Ragin' Cajuns were looking to do construction on a new team clubhouse and were considering moving the outfield inward in the coming 2027 season. The Cajuns ended the 2026 season as the last standing team in Louisiana for Division I college baseball, ending as runner-ups in the Starkville Regionals of the NCAA College Baseball Tournament. UL baseball finished with a 41-25 overall record and as runner-ups in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament, losing to Southern Mississippi.
Fifth-year head coach Matt Deggs and his staff will return a bulk of players from the 2025 roster and will be hopeful that this fire doesn't setback any of the Cajun's offseason plans. The Louisiana Athletic department released the following statement regarding the fire : “The fire at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park started in an area along the left-field fence after work crews had left for the day. We are thankful to our first responders from the Lafayette Fire Department who arrived quickly to limit any further damage to the facility.
We are also grateful that no one was injured.” This story will be updated once more information is available. REQUIRED READING: Here's why Northwest Markez Davis committed to LSU football Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on X, formerly known as Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: A fire broke out at M.L. Tigue Moore Field, home of Louisiana baseball
