The Book 2007 Ragin' Cajun Baseball

[MiamiCajun32]

Yes, it is early. But I like the start. The Cajuns are looking like they are the team to beat in the Sun Belt.

It is not so much the # of wins, but whether they are the right wins and how the Cajuns fare in conference play (very important). Yes, I do think it is critical that the Cajuns finish in the Top 3 of the Sun Belt this season. For example, I think it is important that the Cajuns win 2/4 against Tulane and Arizona State (all road games). This will help the RPI immensely. I think that if they do that and finish Top 2 in the SBC, provided they do not tank a bunch of games they should win, I think they will be in the postseason. If the Cajuns win the Sun Belt regular season title, they are in ... case closed.

Can the Sun Belt get three bids this season? Yes, they can. But I am not expecting it. Especially last season after the NCAA botched the selections at the end of the process. There was strong disagreement among the NCAA Selection Committee members concerning the final teams that made the field and the fact that the Cajuns were left home. I do not have a lot of confidence that things will change w/respect to the bigger conferences sucking up a vast majority of the at-large bids.

I think that for the Sun Belt to earn three bids, teams like UL and FAU will need to finish first and second in conference and earn at-large bids. That is, some other team will need to win the Sun Belt Tournament. Troy is falling off and is not as strong as they were last season. In the end, FAU will have played a not so impressive non-conference schedule. This may make an at-large bid challenging (as it did for the Cajuns last season). But still possible. FAU does have a single win over Oklahoma State and single losses to Rice and Nebraska.

Troy has the most difficult schedule in the conference. But they are not winning enough games. They can turn it around and earn an at-large bid (without a Sun Belt regular season title). But they need to get started soon.

South Alabama simply does not look strong enough for an at-large bid this season. They will need to win the automatic bid.

My bet at this early stage is that the Sun Belt sees two postseason bids with a chance at three.

Brian

Thanks for your great insight! I think I speak for a lot of Cajuns fans that you make the baseball season much easier to follow.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team improved to 13-3 and remained perfect in the Sun Belt Conference (2-0) with a 9-6 win on Saturday afternoon over South Alabama at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field. Hitting was the theme of the day for the two teams. The two teams combined for 24 hits on the afternoon with the Cajuns edging the Jaguars 13-11 in hits. Of the 24 hits in the game 10 were extra base hits, with the two teams combining for six homeruns. Nolan Gisclair, Jonathan Lucroy and Jefferies Tatford all had homeruns in the game for the Ragin’ Cajuns. Gisclair became the first Cajuns player this season to hit two homeruns in a game. Gisclair finished the game 2-for-5 with two homeruns, two runs scored and two RBI. Scott Hawkins and Tim Santiago both had multiple hits in game. Hawkins finished the game 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored, while Santiago was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Matt Pilgreen picked up his first win of the season. The senior hurler entered the game in relief and tossed 2.1 scoreless innings, retiring all eight batters he faced. Starter John Zorich got the no-decision for the Cajuns. Zorich worked 6.2 innings, scattering 11 hits. He surrendered six runs – five earned runs. After trailing 2-0 after the first half inning of play, the Cajuns took the lead in the bottom of the third inning, 3-2. The Cajuns would hold on to the lead until the seventh inning when back-to-back homeruns by the Jaguars tied the game at 6-6. UL used a three-run seventh inning to regain the lead that they would not relinquish. In the first inning, South Alabama got things going by loading the bases with three consecutive singles. A pair of sacrifice flies plated two runners and saw the Cajuns trailing 2-0 after a half an inning of play. The Cajuns cut into the lead in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Gisclair hit a solo homerun to left field to cut the USA advantage to just one run. The homerun was Gisclair’s second of the season and first since Feb. 18 against Texas-San Antonio. In the bottom of the second inning, the Ragin’ Cajuns got a two-out single from Santiago. The Cajuns thought they got a two-run homer from Justin Robichaux, but the South Alabama right fielder Billy Kleinschrodt made a leaping catch about a foot over the fence to end the inning. The Ragin’ Cajuns took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Xavier Alexander, who extended his team-leading hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the eighth inning, drew a base on balls. After a fly ball to centerfield, Lucroy hit his second homerun of the season to give the Cajuns a 3-2 lead. The homerun was hit one of the pine trees behind the left field wall about half way up the tree. A one-out double by Kolin Hatfield gave the Cajuns a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth inning. A Santiago single up the middle plated Hatfield and gave the Cajuns a 4-2 advantage. In the top of the fifth inning, the Jaguars led off the inning with a single – the fourth inning of the game that USA led off with a hit. With one on and no outs, the Cajuns used a foul out, a fielder’s choice to record the first two outs. The Jaguars lifted a ball to deep right field, but Hatfield recorded the fly ball out against the outfield wall. The Cajuns used a two out single from Hawkins in the bottom of the fifth to get a runner on base. Tatford hit a homerun to right field to increase the Cajuns lead to 6-2. In the sixth inning, the Jaguars used a two run inning to cut into the UL lead. A double to centerfield led of the inning for USA. A fielding error by the Cajuns gave the Jaguars runners on the corners. A single scored the first run of the inning. The Jaguars would use a fielder’s choice to score the second run of the inning and cut the lead to 6-4. After retiring the first two batters to start the inning, the Jaguars used back-to-back homeruns in the top of the seventh inning to knot the score at 6-6. The two homeruns was the first time all season the Cajuns allowed multiple homeruns in the same game. The Ragin’ Cajuns responded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Gisclair led off the inning with his second homerun of the game, a solo shot to left centerfield. Gisclair became the first Cajuns’ player this season to hit multiple homeruns in a game. After a pitching change, the Jaguars struck out the next Cajuns batter, but UL got a double to left centerfield by Hawkins. Tatford was intentionally walked to try to set up the double play. A fielding error by South Alabama loaded the bases for the Cajuns. A pop up gave the Cajuns three on with two outs. Robichaux, who was robbed of a homerun earlier in the game, singled up the middle to plate a pair of runners give the Cajuns a 9-6 lead. The runs would prove to make the final difference in the game as the Cajuns hung on to the three-run victory. The Cajuns and Jaguars will conclude the three-game conference series on Sunday afternoon at 1:05 p.m. center>LOUISIANA SI

[Cajun Express]

Personally I'd rather just not play them at all.... We always have to suffer the "both team's fans are at fault".... "all schools have some bad apples"...

when those that would be honest know exactly what the case is... that you are expected to know your place and simply accept what is heaped upon you and be quiet...for after all you are fortunate just to be invited...

BS.... I love Tony but he should have simply left well enough alone... We don't need them.... they dont want us.... works for me.............

IMO we should play Rice instead, what is another six hours round trip to 20 year old kid? I often spent those six hours at the Keg, and still made class and had a good grade the next day, ok a decent grade. Rise YES, LSU not any fun win or lose.

[NewsCopy]

UL's hitting slump is officially over. The Ragin' Cajun baseball team poked four home runs - and was robbed of a fifth - in a second straight double-figure hit attack, and Matt Pilgreen's stellar relief pitching effort helped the Cajuns take a 9-6 Sun Belt Conference win over rival South Alabama Saturday at Moore Field. The Cajuns (13-3, 2-0) won the Friday opener by a 7-2 count and go for a sweep of the Jaguars in today's 1:05 p.m. finale, and they'll take some hot bats into the contest. Every UL position player had a hit Saturday. Five had extra-base hits, and that number would have been six had not USA right fielder Bill Kleinschrodt robbed UL's Justin Robichaux of a sure home run in the second inning. But Robichaux got his revenge, with his two-out single up the middle in the seventh inning providing two insurance runs in what was a 7-6 game. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[BirdofParadise]

IMO we should play Rice instead, what is another six hours round trip to 20 year old kid? I often spent those six hours at the Keg, and still made class and had a good grade the next day, ok a decent grade. Rise YES, LSU not any fun win or lose.

Rice is also on the schedule for 2008

[Just1More]

Rice is also on the schedule for 2008

BOP, you are becoming the king of the moot point.

I enjoyed the mid week games against LSU, way back when. I attended them in BR and it was great. However, all I ever heard was "we don't throw SEC pitchers in mid week games". I was at one of the games and after we launched one over the wall, the guy in front of me turned and said "that is not SEC pitching"... we were way up early... so I said "so why did you recruit him?" He got a little agitated and said it again, so I told him that we saved our best for weekends as well. He said it again after we dinged another, so I said "but where is that SEC batting?" His buddy, who had gotten tired of his friend's sour mood, turned around and gave me the thumbs up and laughed.

Some people get it, and some never will. Personally, I think it is how much Cro-Magnon DNA has yet to get cleaned from the gene pool.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team completed the three-game sweep of Sun Belt Conference foe South Alabama on Sunday afternoon by a score of 10-6 at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field. The Cajuns improved to 14-3 on the season including a 3-0 start in the Sun Belt. The 3-0 start in the conference is the first time the Cajuns have opened the conference season with a sweep since UL swept then-member of the Sun Belt Louisiana Tech in 2000. The three-game sweep was first time since 2000 that the Cajuns swept the Jaguars. The Cajuns collected 16 hits in the game en route to scoring 10 runs. The Ragin’ Cajuns belted three homeruns in the game. Jonathan Lucroy, who was 5-for-5 in the game, led all Cajuns batters in the game. He finished the game with a homerun and a double. Lucroy scored four runs in the game and drove in a run. Lucroy tied a school record with five hits in the game. It was only the 18th time in school history a batter has collected five hits in a game and the second time for Lucroy. The five hits was the first time since Jameson Parker went 5-for-5 at Louisiana-Monroe on April 11, 2006. Lucroy last collected five hits at New Orleans during his freshman campaign. He was 5-for-6 against the Privateers on April 16, 2005. Coming close to the five hit mark was Jefferies Tatford. The senior from Lafayette finished the day 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles. He scored two runs and drove in two more. Scott Hawkins was the only other player to collect multiple hits. Hawkins finished the game 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBI. Starting pitcher Hunter Moody (2-1) earned the win. The southpaw tossed 7.2 innings. Moody surrendered six runs, but just one earned run, to pick up the victory. He fanned six batters without issuing a free pass on the day. Danny Farquhar finished out the game for the Cajuns. The sophomore collected two strikeouts in just 1.1 innings of work, while facing the minimum. The Cajuns got the bats going in the first inning. Xavier Alexander led off the inning with a bunt single. The speedy Alexander just beat the throw to first to extend his team-leading hitting streak to 15 games. With one out, Lucroy doubled to right centerfield to give the Cajuns a pair of runners in scoring position. Tatford singled through the left side of the infield, plating both Alexander and Lucroy. Hawkins followed with a single to give the Cajuns runners on the corners. A walk by Tim Santiago loaded the bases with just one out. The Ragin’ Cajuns plated the final run of the inning as Kolin Hatfield reached base on a fielder’s choice. In the third inning, Lucroy led off the inning with a single to left field. A double by Tatford gave the Cajuns runners on second and third. A sacrifice fly by Hawkins plated Lucroy and gave UL a 4-0 lead after three innings. The Cajuns added an insurance run in the fourth inning. With one out, Justin Robichaux and Devon Bourque had back-to-back singles to give the Ragin’ Cajuns a pair of base runners. A groundout moved the runners up a base and a wild pitch brought Robichaux home from third base. South Alabama cut into the Cajuns’ lead in the fifth inning. A solo homerun by Jeff Cunningham was the first run of the game for the Jaguars. The Ragin’ Cajuns got the run back in the bottom of the inning. The Cajuns loaded the bases as Lucroy, Tatford and Hawkins all singled to start the inning. For the second inning in a row, a wild pitch plated a runner. The Cajuns were unable to plate another runner despite the fact that UL loaded the bases for a second time in the inning with a Santiago walk. In the top of the sixth inning, the Jaguars added another run. A single to right field started the inning. Following an out, the runner moved to third base as a failed pick off attempt got away from the Cajuns. A single plated the runner and left the score 6-2. The Cajuns broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Nolan Gisclair hit his fourth homerun of the season and Lucroy followed with his third homer of the year. The consecutive homeruns were the first time this season the Cajuns went back-to-back. The last time the Cajuns went back-to-back was in the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Tournament as Lucroy and Tatford homered one after the other against Middle Tennessee on May 26. Tatford continued the sixth inning with a double down the right field line. He came around to score as Hawkins belted his fourth homerun of the season and second homer of the series to centerfield. After six full innings, the Cajuns led 10-2. In the eighth inning, South Alabama cut into the Cajuns lead. After striking out the first batter of the inning, Moody surrendered an infield single to the next batter. The hit dropped in after Moody and Santiago collided both going for the ball. A fly ball recorded the second out of the inning. A Louisiana error extended the inning and gave USA a pair of baserunners. A double down the left field line scored the first runner of the inning. Cunningham hit his second homerun of the day to cut the UL lead to 10-6. The homerun was Cunningham’s second of the game and his fourth of the series. Cunningham has six homeruns against the Cajuns in the last four games, dating back to May 26, 2006 in the SBC Tournament. Farquhar entered the game and retired the final four batters of the game and secured the win for the Cajuns. Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team hits the road for four consecutive road games. The Cajuns head to Houston, Texas for a midweek contest with the University of Houston on Tuesday, March 13. Gametime for the game with the Cougars is slated for 7:00 p.m. The Cajuns then head to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for their first road conference series of the season. UL will take on Middle Tennessee in a three-game Sun Belt series on Friday, March 16 through Sunday, March 18. Game one of the series is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. The Cajuns and Blue Raiders will continue the series on Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m., before concluding the series on Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. contest. LOUISIANA SI

[Oldman]

No offense, but if it things cooled off any more, scientists would declare an end to global warming and begin predicting the next ice age.

what a maroon, THEIR IS NO GLOBAL WARMING AND NEVER HAS BEEN......i feel for you to believe that garbage, an algoresecularprogressiveliberalclone oh my ha

[CajunProud]

what a maroon, THEIR IS NO GLOBAL WARMING AND NEVER HAS BEEN......i feel for you to believe that garbage, an algoresecularprogressiveliberalclone oh my ha

What the f *&@?????????

[AstroCajun]

what a maroon, THEIR IS NO GLOBAL WARMING AND NEVER HAS BEEN......i feel for you to believe that garbage, an algoresecularprogressiveliberalclone oh my ha

Ever heard of sarcasm? Seriously. I had a feeling that someone wouldn't get the joke.

I'm not making a political statement.

The joke just works better the way I told it.

Here, let me give you the same joke but "fair and balanced" enough for you.

If the relationship gets any cooler, it would prove once and for all that global warming is just a hoax, propagated by the liberal media.

[RustyR]

Must be a Touchy subject

[CajunAmos]

How do you think that will affect them come selection time?

[CajunAmos]

Not to mention that 2000 South Carolina team that didn't make it to the series..........

[GoneGolfin]

Thanks for the kind words Clutch.

BTW, Jay and I will be doing this on a weekly basis (with a few exceptions) in the Thursday 5:05 -> 5:3X time slot.

This week only, it will be Friday in the 5:05 -> 5:3X time slot. Scott will host.

Brian

[NewsCopy]

For the second straight week, UL's baseball team is among the teams receiving votes on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's weekly poll. The Cajuns (14-3), who ranked 29th two weeks ago, are among 16 teams just below the top 30. Three of those teams are Louisiana clubs, with LSU (11-7) and Tulane (12-6) also in that group. The rest of the story The Poll