Louisiana UnLimited: Ragin' Cajuns Baseball Has Been Waiting For This ...
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There's no fault to be cast out, no responsibility to fall on any shoulders … unless you want to blame life itself, or karma, or the ravages that have befallen UL's baseball program over the last two seasons.
The shocking and untimely death of an icon, a season cut off at the knees just when it was beginning to heat up, and a second season of pandemic trials and tribulations that squeezed all the emotions out of last spring. It was almost too much to bear for the Ragin' Cajun baseball team and its passionate following.
Matt Deggs certainly didn't deserve all that. God knows he's been through enough in his life, and had emerged from one of the worst tunnels of despair imaginable only to be hit with an all-new set of challenges.
That's why he couldn't wait for Opening Weekend. His Ragin' Cajun team had two years of pent-up emotions waiting to bubble over, and all it needed was for someone to strike a match.
In this case, a lot of matches.
In 45 hours, 12,795 fans returned to M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park for a season-opening three-game series, and that group had passions building for two years and waiting to be unleashed. Over 4,000 were on hand at all three games as UL couldn't hold an early lead on Friday, but rallied back to take 7-4 and 5-3 wins on Saturday and Sunday over a UC Irvine team ranked in the top 20 in every national college baseball poll.
"We can't thank the fans enough," said outfielder-turned-first baseman Carson Roccaforte, who knocked in a run in all three games. "They were electric this weekend and really drove us. We'd been working on finishing, and we really wanted to do that for them."
"Let's be honest, this is what we've all been waiting for since I got back here," Deggs said. "We've been waiting two and a half years for that type of performance and play and style, that's what Cajun Nation is accustomed to and is used to, and no question they were our best player all weekend.
"Our guys are a bunch of hams, they like the lights and the stage and this weekend suited them to a T. When they get behind us and adrenalize us like that, they have the ability to slingshot you to the finish line."
Matt Deggs certainly didn't deserve all that. God knows he's been through enough in his life, and had emerged from one of the worst tunnels of despair imaginable only to be hit with an all-new set of challenges.
That's why he couldn't wait for Opening Weekend. His Ragin' Cajun team had two years of pent-up emotions waiting to bubble over, and all it needed was for someone to strike a match.
In this case, a lot of matches.
In 45 hours, 12,795 fans returned to M. L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park for a season-opening three-game series, and that group had passions building for two years and waiting to be unleashed. Over 4,000 were on hand at all three games as UL couldn't hold an early lead on Friday, but rallied back to take 7-4 and 5-3 wins on Saturday and Sunday over a UC Irvine team ranked in the top 20 in every national college baseball poll.
"We can't thank the fans enough," said outfielder-turned-first baseman Carson Roccaforte, who knocked in a run in all three games. "They were electric this weekend and really drove us. We'd been working on finishing, and we really wanted to do that for them."
"Let's be honest, this is what we've all been waiting for since I got back here," Deggs said. "We've been waiting two and a half years for that type of performance and play and style, that's what Cajun Nation is accustomed to and is used to, and no question they were our best player all weekend.
"Our guys are a bunch of hams, they like the lights and the stage and this weekend suited them to a T. When they get behind us and adrenalize us like that, they have the ability to slingshot you to the finish line."
That was graphically shown on Sunday, when the Cajuns trailed the 14th-ranked (Collegiate Baseball magazine) Anteaters 3-2 entering the eighth inning. UL had only one hit since the second inning when the Cajuns took a 2-0 lead, and UCI brought on returning All-America closer Jacob King – who struck out two and got a weak popup in the ninth two nights earlier to secure a 7-4 win.
Deggs had the entire team out in front of the dugout in the middle of the eighth.
"I told them let's settle in and focus," he said. "Focus over enthusiasm right now, a little less enthusiasm and a little more focus. I knew it was happening in the seventh when we had loud outs, three in a row, boom boom boom, and nothing to show for it, but it was all really good approaches."
Junior Texas Tech transfer and likely season-long leadoff hitter Max Marusak sent King's first pitch up the middle, reaching base for the sixth time on the weekend, and promptly stole second before Tyler Robertson drew a walk. Highly-regarded freshman Kyle DeBarge missed a swinging third strike but Marusak and Robertson both moved up on the swing.
Connor Kimple, who had already homered in all three weekend games on his way to Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors, was intentionally walked to bring Roccaforte to the plate.
