The Book 2007 Ragin' Cajun Baseball

[NewsCopy]

MIAMI, Fla.-Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team dropped the final game of a three-game conference road series 14-13 on Sunday afternoon against Florida International at University Park. For the first time all season, the Cajuns’ bullpen faltered on the season. The Cajuns pen gave up a season high eight runs in the final 3.1 innings of play. After UL jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, Florida International bounced back with a nine-run fifth inning to take an 11-8 lead. The Cajuns battled back and tied the game at 11-11, but a three-run seventh inning would prove to be the difference in the ballgame as the Cajuns could only get a pair of the runs back. Offensively, the Cajuns collected 13 hits including four players with multiple hits in the game. William Long led the Cajuns with three hits on the afternoon, while Nolan Gisclair, Scott Hawkins and Jefferies Tatford all collected a pair of hits. The Cajuns collected four homeruns on the afternoon. Gisclair, Hawkins, Long and Jonathan Lucroy all had homers in the game for the Cajuns. Hawkins and Gisclair both added doubles in the game to go along with their homers. For the first time in the series, the Ragin’ Cajuns were the first to score in the game. After FIU’s starting pitcher Walker Whitley struck out the Cajuns first batter, Gisclair homered to left field. The homerun was Gisclair’s sixth of the season and second of the series. Whitley escaped anymore damage from the UL batters as he struck out the next two batters. The Golden Panthers answered in the bottom of the first inning. A pair of infield hits sandwiched around a hit batter loaded the bases for FIU with no one out. A line drive recorded the first out, but William Long’s pitch to second base was not in time to double up the runner. A walk tied the game at 1-1, but the Cajuns escaped the jam with no further damage as FIU fouled out to first base and flied to right field to end the inning. The Cajuns got the run back in the top of the second. Scott Hawkins led off the inning with a double to right centerfield. Before FIU threw a pitch to the next batter, he balked, which moved Hawkins to third. A strikeout recorded the first out of the inning, but Devery Van De Keere flew out to deep right field to score Hawkins on the sacrifice fly. Matt Casbon drew a base on balls and moved to third base on a Devon Bourque single, but the Cajuns were not able to capitalize as the Golden Panthers recorded the final out of the inning on a ground ball. The Cajuns used a four-run fourth inning to jump out to a five run lead. UL scored four runs on four hits and three Florida International errors to Hawkins led off the inning reaching base on a throwing error by FIU. Long singled to right field to give the Cajuns a pair of runners with no outs. Van De Keere laid down the sacrifice bunt to advance the runners—his second sacrifice hit of the game. After FIU recorded the second out of the inning, Bourque singled to left centerfield to plate two runners. Josh Logan used an infield single and an error to give the Cajuns runners at second and third. Gisclair reached base thanks to the third FIU error of the inning. Bourque scored on the error for the Ragin’ Cajuns. A bunt single by Tatford caught the Golden Panthers off guard and allowed the final run of the inning to score and push the UL lead to 6-1. The Golden Panthers got a run back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Florida International led off the inning with a triple to right center field. Robichaux struck out the next batter for the first out of the inning. A throwing error by the Cajuns allowed the runner to score and the next batter to reach base safely. A fly ball recorded the second out of the inning. A single to right field gave FIU another hit on the afternoon, but Gisclair gunned the lead runner down from right field for the out at the plate ending the inning. The Ragin’ Cajuns were able to able to answer in the top of the fifth inning. Hawkins led off the inning with a solo homerun to left center. Long followed Hawkins with a homerun of his own. Long’s homer was to left field. It was the second time during the season the Cajuns collected back-to-back homeruns. The Cajuns had back-to-back dingers on Mar. 11 against South Alabama. Against the Jaguars, Gisclair and Lucroy went back-to-back in a 10-6 victory by the Cajuns. Florida International scored nine runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take an 11-8 lead in the game. The fifth inning was the worst inning of baseball for the Ragin’ Cajuns all season. FIU used eight hits to score nine runs and made the Cajuns use four pitchers in the inning. In the FIU fifth, Bryan Pullin singled up the middle to start things off. John Petika reached on a fielder's choice that got Pullin out at second. Tyler Townsend singled up the middle and Petika advanced to second. The two base runners advanced on a wild pitch. Luis Bautista walked on five pitches to load the bases. Raimy Fuentes flied out to centerfield for the sacrifice fly RBI. A double to left field plated two runners. Matt Pilgreen entered the game to pitch for Robichaux. DePhillip Mason pinch hit for and with a full count drew a walk. James McOwen singled to right field to score another run. Corey Lozano singled to right field to plate another run. Pullin, who led off the inning, singled through the right side, scoring another runner. Andrew Laughter entered the game to pitch for Pilgreen. A single by Petika singled just over the head of Laughter to load the bases. Townsend doubled down the right field line to clear the bases. Danny Farquhar came into the game in relief of Laughter. Farquhar ended the inning as he got Bautista to strike out. Trailing 11-8, the Cajuns tied the game with three runs in the top of the sixth inning. Tatford singled to right field and Lucroy reached on a fielding error to start the inning Hawkins drew a four pitch walk to load the bases. A passed ball and a balk plated two runners and cut the FIU lead to just one run. Long walked to give the Cajuns runners on the corners. A fielder’s choice scored Hawkins from third and knotted the score at 11-11. The game did not stay tied for very long. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Golden Panthers regained the lead. McOwen singled through the right side to start the inning. A fielder’s choice erased the lead runner, but left FIU with a runner on base. Pullin hit by pitch giving the Panthers a pair of base runners. Petika singled to centerfield to load the bases. Townsend singled to left field to score two runners and let FIU regain the lead. Bautista was hit by pitch to load the bases once again. Brent Solich entered the game to pitch for Farquhar. Solich induced a fly for the second out, but allowed the third run of the inning to score. Solich struck out the final batter of he inning, but after seven complete innings, the Cajuns trailed 14-11. In the top of the eighth inning, Lucroy hit a homerun to deep left centerfield. The homerun was his ninth of the season and the third for Lucroy in the series with FIU. With one out, Long continued the inning with a single to second base. After Florida International retired the next batter, Matt Hicks pitch hit for Casbon. Hicks singled to left field giving the Cajuns runners on first and second. Dustin Miller pinch hit for Hicks. An error allowed Bourque to reach base safely and load the bases. Logan worked the count full and drew the base on balls to plate Long from third base. After the final out of the inning was recorded, the Cajuns trailed by just one run, 14-13. The Cajuns shut down the Golden Panthers in the bottom of the eighth inning. A groundout to the shortstop recorded the first out of the inning. An infield single to short gave FIU a runner with just one out, but a double play to short stop ended the inning and sent the Cajuns into the ninth inning trailing by just one run. Tatford led off the final frame in regulation with a four pitch walk. The Golden Panthers struck out the next Cajuns batter to give UL just two outs to work with. A fly ball to right field left the Ragin’ Cajuns just one more chance to tie the game or take the lead, but a ground ball ended the game. The Ragin’ Cajuns will return to action with four home games. The Cajuns host Southland Conference opponent Lamar on Tuesday, Apr. 3 at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field. The Cajuns will then play host to Western Kentucky in a three-game weekend Sun Belt Conference series beginning on Friday night. LOUISIANA SI

[Turner]

Robe is no doubt an excellent manager and I would not trade him for anyone, but after the Cajuns went up 10-3 after the top of the 9th, I would have pulled Farquhar and pitched someone else. Farquhar over 40 pitches tonight. For sure he will not be avaliabe tommorow and we will wait and see for Sunday.

Yeah we could have used the real Farquhar today, not the one they are grooming to be a starter.

[CajunRed]

There was a posting earlier about possibly hosting a regional. First of all, it is WAY too early to be thinking about hosting anything... but, secondly and more important, if we don't shore up a third weekend starter, we won't do much in postseason anyway.

[J-Town Cajun]

Yeah we could have used the real Farquhar today, not the one they are grooming to be a starter.

If they are grooming Faquhar to be a starter we would have 3 aces but your starter can't go 9 innings every game. I like Faquhar in the bull pen because he is a multi inning closer and can be a factor in multiple games. I did not agree in throwing him that extra inning Friday night when we got up by 7 runs with 1 inning to play. That inning would have been a good inning to get someone some work.

I still believe Lil Robe will be and should be the third starter.
Either Solich or Zorich should be the midweek starter and the other in long relief.

Wilburn may be best used as a left hander reliever as he can get a strikeout but has had trouble once the line up turns over a 2nd or 3rd time.

I am not sure what has happened to Pilgreen and Laughter, they both have fallen off a bit after great starts.

I think the key to the rest of this season is
1. finding a consistant midweek starter who can give us 5 or 6 quality innings
2. Pilgreen and Laughter find their groove again
3. defensive play at 3rd and SS.

I would be more than happy to win the midweek and take 2/3 on the weekends. The midweek games are so important on our RPI and the conference's RPI.

[LARaginCajun]

We are not going anywhere without a good third starting pitcher.

[J-Town Cajun]

We are not going anywhere without a good third starting pitcher.

He only had one bad inning "the 5th". It was his longest outing of the year. Before his start today he was 2-0 with on 0.83 ERA. Not too shabby. You must not forget that FIU is a good hitting club.

Who would you pick to be the Sunday starter?

[TuffGuy84]

Man, this loss is frustrating...I have a feeling that this game will be this years UALR...FIU is a RPI graveyard and we just tanked. FIU RPI is 188 right now, which is worst in the belt, and I dont see a reason why they will be much higher, they have no Pitching and no Defense...and we just blew this one big time. I'm expecting this loss to drop our RPI about 10 spots...ugh.

Tuffguy

[NewsCopy]

With the strength of UL's Sun Belt Conference-leading pitching corps, an 8-2 lead halfway through most baseball games seems safe enough. Not Sunday. After two days in the doldrums, Florida International's bats awoke in a nine-run fifth inning, and the host Golden Panthers held on down the stretch for a 14-13 Sun Belt victory over the Cajuns at FIU's University Park in Miami. The Cajun (23-6, 9-3) bullpen gave up a season-high eight runs over the final three and one-third innings after FIU got to UL starter Justin Robichaux for three hits and four runs early in the big fifth inning. UL rallied back to tie the game at 11 in the sixth, but the Panthers (16-15, 3-6) avoided the weekend sweep by putting up three runs in the seventh and holding off UL's final rally in a two-run eighth inning. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Cajun Express]

_ Man, this loss is frustrating...I have a feeling that this game will be this years UALR...FIU is a RPI graveyard and we just tanked. FIU RPI is 188 right now, which is worst in the belt, and I dont see a reason why they will be much higher, they have no Pitching and no Defense...and we just blew this one big time. I'm expecting this loss to drop our RPI about 10 spots...ugh.

Tuffguy _

Can't argue the point. This will not kill our chance for an at large, not nearly, but any dream of hosting are gone.

About the only thing I can say, and the numbers bare this out, FIU is no dog when it comes to hitting. If their fielding and pitching were even average they would be ranked much higher. At some point a great hitting team will have their day. Unlike the MIDDLE game FIU earned their hits as they had 14 earned runs.

[Clutch0364]

Guys the sky is not falling...that is baseball. FIU is far from the worst team in the country, they have great hitters and they came through today. This is no indication of how the rest of the season will go.

[MiamiCajun32]

_ Can't argue the point. This will not kill our chance for an at large, not nearly, but any dream of hosting are gone.

About the only thing I can say, and the numbers bare this out, FIU is no dog when it comes to hitting. If their fielding and pitching were even average they would be ranked much higher. At some point a great hitting team will have their day. Unlike the MIDDLE game FIU earned their hits as they had 14 earned runs. _

Probably don't have much of a chance to host anyways, but this one game is surely not going to put an end to those slight chances. Just relax and enjoy the season, which is turning out to be a very good one. Cajuns will lose more than 10 times though, so be prepared for a number of other non-sweep weekends. It is still ok. Even the top 10 teams in the country lose. It's baseball!

[rhineaux]

_ Probably don't have much of a chance to host anyways, but this one game is surely not going to put an end to those slight chances. Just relax and enjoy the season, which is turning out to be a very good one. Cajuns will lose more than 10 times though, so be prepared for a number of other non-sweep weekends. It is still ok. Even the top 10 teams in the country lose. It's baseball! _

Agreed. I just hope that its close enough for most of us to drive, and that they don't shaft us with a seed we don't deserve.

[CajunProud]

_ Agreed. I just hope that its close enough for most of us to drive, and that they don't shaft us with a seed we don't deserve. _

The only way we will not get shafted is if we win the regular season title, win the conf. tournament and have an RPI in the top 15. Otherwise, count on getting shafted.

Until we make it to post season 4 out of every 5 years and make a super regional at least 1 to 2 out of that 4, we will never get the respect that we deserve.

However, this is really a great season so far. Yes, the loses are tough to take, but even if we went 56-0, I would still be upset that we didn't win every game 10-0 . Bottom line is, we just had a bad game yesterday, and that is baseball.

I do think that our ability to find a 3rd starter will determine how far we go this season. We can get throught the rest of the season with a starter by committe on Sunday, but that won't cut it come regional time.

[rhineaux]

_ The only way we will not get shafted is if we win the regular season title, win the conf. tournament and have an RPI in the top 15. Otherwise, count on getting shafted.

Until we make it to post season 4 out of every 5 years and make a super regional at least 1 to 2 out of that 4, we will never get the respect that we deserve.

However, this is really a great season so far. Yes, the loses are tough to take, but even if we went 56-0, I would still be upset that we didn't win every game 10-0 . Bottom line is, we just had a bad game yesterday, and that is baseball.

I do think that our ability to find a 3rd starter will determine how far we go this season. We can get throught the rest of the season with a starter by committe on Sunday, but that won't cut it come regional time. _

Don't look now boys, but i think we are soon gonna find out what this team is made of. Four at home this week with Lamar and WKU, but then away against Tulane and Troy next week. then home v. SLU and away v. Arizona State. After this week, that'll be 8 of 9 games on the road, all against teams with high RPI's. Certainly a stretch that will affect our seeding.

[Cajun Express]

_ Don't look now boys, but i think we are soon gonna find out what this team is made of. Four at home this week with Lamar and WKU, but then away against Tulane and Troy next week. then home v. SLU and away v. Arizona State. After this week, that'll be 8 of 9 games on the road, all against teams with high RPI's. Certainly a stretch that will affect our seeding. _

What would you give as a passing grade? I would think two of three in Tempe, a win in Beaumont, one against Tulane, and of course win all the games at home, and a sweep of Troy would be an A+, lose two in Temp and one in at Troy gets an A, continue and lose to Tulane C+, hang another loss to Lamar on the road, D, and any more is an F.