Advertiser-Dan McDonald

LAFAYETTE — Three out of four infield positions return starters, and those three spots also look to have solid depth for Louisiana's baseball squad.

That’s the good news.

The bad news is that there’s a big-time question mark at shortstop, and that’s a unique situation for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

After having the likes of Ian Calais, Rick Haydel and Chase Lambin — all of whom went on to the professional ranks — over the past several seasons, there is no heir apparent at that key position.

In fairness, there wasn’t one going into last season, either, but most onlookers expected Lambin to more than fill the bill in his only Cajun season. And he didn’t disappoint, hitting .300 and leading the team in home runs (13) and RBI (47) and turning in a solid defensive effort.

The Cajuns apparently had the answer in Lafayette product Rocky Scelfo, who played his freshman season at LSU — and made the All-NCAA Regional Team — before transferring to UL Lafayette for the fall semester.

After the fall, though, Scelfo chose the junior college route, aiming at eligibility in next summer’s professional draft.

“That would have made us even more explosive,” said head coach Tony Robichaux, “but we’re still going to be very solid in the infield. Most of these guys are a year older, and that makes a difference. They practice veteran-like.”

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