The Book 2007 Ragin' Cajun Baseball

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana's Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team improved to 29-9 on the season as they downed Southeastern Louisiana 8-2 on Tuesday night at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field. The Cajuns jumped out to a 5-0 lead after one inning of play and never looked back. The Cajuns added three insurance runs and came away with an 8-2 win. Offensively, Matt Hicks led the Cajuns with three hits in four plate appearances. He had a homerun, a double and a single as he fell just a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. Hicks also led the team with four RBI on the night. His three-run homer in the bottom of the first broke the game open. Jonathan Lucroy and Scott Hawkins both had a pair of hits in the contest. Lucroy scored three runs while driving in another. Hawkins drove in a pair of runners and added a run of his own. The offense helped out a stellar pitching performance by the Cajuns pitching staff. Starter Brent Solich worked 6.1 innings, scattering nine hits. He allowed just two runs, but just one earned run. Solich fanned six batters while issuing just one walk. The rest of the story Chris Whitehead RaginCajuns.com

[rhineaux]

_ Wow Z Thanks for pitching a great game.

rhineaux middle releif

andrepourciau the closer.

Much obliged _

Thanks, I think we performed well tonight. Z came in and controlled the thread. He located good posts where they were needed, and the readers had no answers. I came on in the towards the end, I made an assessment of what I had been hearing, and new what laid ahead. I don't think it makes me a hero, I just did my job. AP, he's a great closer, made the final post and got us out of the game with a win. A team effort to say the least. I am gonna try to take his job, though. Middle relief never gets his name on the final line, he's always lost in the shuffle, and therefore never gets the chicks.

[GoneGolfin]

Wow Z Thanks for pitching a great game.

rhineaux middle releif

andrepourciau the closer.

Much obliged

So is Z now the Sunday starter with the Bugs Bunny changeup?

Brian

[Zeebart21]

Thanks, I think we performed well tonight. Z came in and controlled the thread. He located good posts where they were needed, and the readers had no answers. I came on in the towards the end, I made an assessment of what I had been hearing, and new what laid ahead. I don't think it makes me a hero, I just did my job. AP, he's a great closer, made the final post and got us out of the game with a win. A team effort to say the least. I am gonna try to take his job, though. Middle relief never gets his name on the final line, he's always lost in the shuffle, and therefore never gets the chicks.

Hang in there, son. Im getting a bit long in the tooth. Im not long for those pressure situations that Turbine has a tendency to put us in. I may be hangin my cleats up at the end of the year. You and AP can duke it out after that!

all the best,

Z.

[Zeebart21]

So is Z now the Sunday starter with the Bugs Bunny changeup?

Brian

uhbudeet, uhbudeet...thats all folks!!!

[NewsCopy]

UL's baseball team "turned back the clock" Tuesday night, and they also turned the turnstiles at Moore Field. A crowd of 2,819 - one that included standing-room-only tickets - came out for the festivities surrounding the Ragin' Cajuns' 8-2 win over Southeastern La. A total of 3,828 tickets were sold on the season's final ticket redemption night. That crowd was treated to activities from start to finish, with miniature bat and seat cushion giveaways at the front gate. Reduced concession prices were also featured, and a record $1,092 was given away in UL's regular "50-50" raffle. Nostalgia and an homage to old-time baseball was provided by the barbershop quartet Louisiana Purchase, and a large "Mudville" sweatshirt displayed prominently behind home plate. The crowd favorite, though, was a return to UL's not-too-distant past, with an encore appearance by the Fabulous Cajun Chicken. His antics on the field between innings - Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Grim Reaper impressions and skits involving the umpires - and in the stands during play provided a look back at the decade and a half that the Chicken roamed Cajun athletic sidelines. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[NewsCopy]

Matt Hicks doesn't have an explanation for his new-found power hitting, but he's not complaining. He's just happy to be playing. Hicks, a sophomore who saw limited playing time for UL's baseball team in his first season and a half, had his second career home run in as many games Monday in sparking the Ragin' Cajuns to an 8-2 win over Southeastern La. on Turn Back the Clock Night at Moore Field. The Houston product was appearing in only his 16th game and making his ninth start, but his three-run homer came in a five-run first inning and set the tone on a festive night that drew a season-high 2,819 fans (3,828 paid). "I've always liked to think I have good power," Hicks said, "but I know I really don't. I'm getting good pitches and just trying to make good contact." Hicks had his first career homer Sunday at Troy in the finale of that Sun Belt series, and has gone 5-for-7 at the plate in the last two games with a double, two homers, six RBI and a .714 batting average. The rest of the story Dan McDonald dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[Mineshaft]

_ So is Z now the Sunday starter with the Bugs Bunny changeup?

Brian _

I dont think the zoo will let him out Sunday..

[Clutch0364]

_ I dont think the zoo will let him out Sunday.. _

They let you out on a Wednesday why not Z on a Sunday?

[Zeebart21]

I dont think the zoo will let him out Sunday..

Funny stuff from a guy that knows all the farm animals on a first name basis.

Remember, baaaaaaaah means NO.

Z.

[GoneGolfin]

Arizona State 2007
(29-10, 10-2) (Base RPI 18, Adjusted RPI 18)

Key Opponents:

Base RPI – Opponent – (W-L)
#5 Texas A&M (1-0)
#2 Vanderbilt (0-1)
#61 Houston (1-0)
#29 Missouri (1-1)
#27 Oregon State (0-1)
#21 Arizona (1-1)
#42 Auburn (1-2)
#8 Long Beach State (1-2)
#28 Kansas State (2-0)
#47 Southern California (2-1)
#71 Stanford (3-0)

vs. Base RPI Top 25 (3-4)
vs. Base RPI Top 50 (9-9)
vs. Base RPI Top 75 (13-9)
vs. Base RPI Top 100 (16-10)

Last Ten Games (8-2)
Home Record (20-2)
Road Record (9-8)

Team Batting
BA .358, HRs 48, Runs/Game 10.13, 2B 111, 10 3B, Slugging .554, SB 52/68

Team Pitching
ERA 3.86, .263 OBA, 347 IP, 147 BB, 269 K

Team Defense
Fielding .978, Errors 33, Double Plays 36


When you think of Arizona State baseball, you think of fearsome lineups. You think of hitters like Reggie Jackson, Rick Monday, Sal Bando, Bob Horner, and Barry Bonds. When you think of Arizona State in 2007, you think of what is simply the best offense in the country (.358, 48 HR, 10.13 runs/game). The Sun Devils can do it all. They hit for average, hit for power, steal bases, and because of their intimidating lineup, draw free passes. Arizona State is led by sophomore standout Brett Wallace, who has followed a stellar freshman campaign with numbers that would concern any pitcher (.447, 12 HR, 51 RBI, .770 Slugging). And oh yes, he plays solid defense (.995 FP) and has some speed at 245 lbs. But Wallace is just the beginning of trouble. Two other Sun Devils are hitting at a .400 clip, with the entire starting lineup hitting over .300. All of this with a strong schedule that has featured solid opposition on the mound. Sophomore Catcher Kiel Roling (.400, .704 Slugging) also has double digit home runs and no less than six players have double digit doubles. The lineup is so stacked that 2006 All-American junior second baseman Eric Sogard is sixth in hitting (.367, 7 HR, 38 RBI). If there is a weakness in this lineup, it is the aggressiveness that results in nearly six strikeouts per game. But they are not just at the plate hacking without a plan. They take pitches, build counts, and draw walks. The Sun Devils remind me a bit of the Oklahoma State lineups of the late 80’s, except that they are not required to take the first pitch.

The pitching staff had some question marks entering the season and is still not what you would consider a deep staff as Coach Pat Murphy relies principally on four pitchers. Now that true freshman Jason Jarvis has been cleared to play by the NCAA, Coach Murphy has been able to move true freshman right-hander Mike Leake into the starting rotation. Jarvis was drafted in the 25th round of the 2006 draft and features an 88-91 mph fastball to go along with a slider. Jarvis (0-1, 3.38, 4 saves) has taken over the closer role since joining the team in late March. Leake was drafted in the 7th round of the 2006 draft and features an 89-91 mph fastball to go along with a 76-78 mph sharp breaking curve. Leake (8-1, 3.38, 1 save, .238 OBA) has proved versatile in handling both closing and starting assignments this season and has registered wins over Texas A&M, Missouri, Long Beach State, Southern California, and Stanford. The tone is usually set by junior left-hander Josh Satow (8-2, 2.19, .230 OBA). A strike thrower that also features excellent command of the zone, Satow is not overpowering but can weather high pitch counts and has three complete games to his credit. Rounding out the weekend starting rotation is junior left-hander Brian Flores (7-1, 3.14, .257 OBA). Flores features a fastball in the mid to upper 80’s, has a breaking ball, and a changeup. Some hitters have trouble adjusting to Flores with his somewhat unconventional delivery.

With the Cajuns and Sun Devils being among the leading homerun hitting teams in the country, along with the other offensive firepower, it is not a stretch to think that there will be a fair amount of run production this weekend. Add to this mix a ballpark that is relatively friendly to hitters (338’, 368’, 395’, 368’, 338’) and it will be important that pitchers exercise their command this weekend and not catch too much of the plate. While Coach Murphy had been using a rotation of Satow, Leake, and Flores, he has changed it up some in the past couple of weeks. Leake has been getting the call on Friday nights recently with Satow the call on Saturday. Flores should get the start on Sunday. If the Cajuns can dispatch the starter early, they will get into the weakest part of this Sun Devil team … the bullpen.

Brian

[NewsCopy]

TEMPE, Ariz. - Leading Off: Arizona State takes a weekend off from Pac-10 play as they play host to the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. The Sun Devils completed a three-game sweep of the Washington State Cougars last weekend. The Cajuns come in at 29-9 and ranked 25th in the nation. The Sun Devils vs. The Ragin' Cajuns: This will be the first ever match-up between Arizona State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Facing Tough Competition: Of ASU's ten losses this season, nine have come at the hands of teams who have been ranked at some point this season, including one to Vanderbilt, who is the top ranked team in the nation. The Sun Devils also have 12 wins against teams that have been ranked at some point this year, including a 22-8 win over Arizona, who is ranked as high as 7th. According to BoydsWorld.com, Arizona State has already faced or will face four teams rated in the top 20 in RPI (Long Beach State, Vandy, Texas A&M and Louisiana-Lafayette). Also, seven of the ten losses have been by one run, including an extra inning game with Vanderbilt. ASU has faced or will face six teams ranked in the Top 25in the latest ISR rankings on BoydsWorld.com, where the Sun Devils are currently ranked 12th. Arizona State has 12 teams on their 2007 schedule that are currently ranked or have been ranked at some point this season, continuing the Sun Devil tradition of playing one of the most difficult schedules in the nation. They have already faced four teams that have been ranked in the Top 10 at some point this season. The rest of the story