baseball..Cajuns fall 4-3 in close extra-inning affair


LAFAYETTE- Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team missed out on the series sweep after losing 4-3 in a 12-inning game that lasted three hours and twenty-six minutes under rainy conditions at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

Louisiana (2-1) went with junior Houston transfer pitcher Austin Faught to go up against Southwest Texas junior preseason All-American ace Bobby Sawicki (0-1).

The Cajuns opened up the scoring in the second inning off of Sawicki with consecutive base hits by Philip Hawke and Brad Saloom. Kevin Preau then grounded into a double play advancing Hawke to third. Shortstop Dallas Morris scored Hawke to put the Cajuns up 1-0 with a single through the left side of the infield.

The Bobcats responded with runs of their own to open the third inning started by a one out walk by leadoff hitter Ignacio Suarez. Suarez advanced to second on a wild pitch by Faught. Suarez then advanced to third on a single from Evan Tierce and scored the Bobcats first run on another Faught wild pitch to even the game at 1-1.

Southwest Texas added two more runs off of Faught to open the fourth inning. Bobcat catcher Ben Carter drove in one run with a double to left field and Ignacio Suarez added his third RBI of the series with a single to centerfield.

In the bottom of the fourth inning Philip Hawke matched his entire 2002 home run total with a leadoff bomb to right field off of Sawicki to cut the deficit to one run.

Jordy Templet came on in the top of the sixth in relief of Austin Faught, who’s final line read five innings pitched, five hits, three runs allowed
and three strikeouts.

Bobcat starter Bobby Sawicki was relieved in the Cajun half of the sixth after letting up a leadoff single to Cajun leftfielder Corey Coles. Sawicki allowed three runs and five hits in five innings pitched. Bobcat reliever Brian Abscheider came on in relief of Sawicki.
Coles advanced to second off Abscheider on a base hit by Philip Hawke and advanced to third after second baseman Brad Saloom grounded out to third. Coles scored from third to tie the game 3-3 after a groundball error by Southwest Texas third baseman Marc Coles. The Cajuns missed an opportunity to take the lead when Bobcat reliever Michael Gultz forced catcher Justin Morgan to ground into a bases loaded double play to end the threat in the sixth inning.

Both bullpens shut down each team’s offense for the next five innings until Southwest Texas leadoff batter Dominic Ramos was able to get on base in the top of the 12th inning on an error by Cajun third baseman Matt Levering. Ramos advanced to second on a base hit by pinch-hitter Jarrett Williams off of Templet. Ramos then moved to third on a groundout and scored the go-ahead run when outfielder Evan Tierce grounded out to second base.

With the Cajuns down 4-3 going into the bottom half of the 12th inning Southwest Texas went with senior closer Sergio Cazares to finish the game. Cazares retired three straight Cajun batters to give Southwest Texas the win and pick up his second save on the season.

Templet (0-1) was the hard-luck loser after throwing seven innings of three hit ball and only giving up one run which was unearned.

Southwest Texas pitcher Brandon Hankins (2-0) picked up the victory for the Bobcats throwing four innings and allowing no runs in relief.

The Ragin’ Cajuns were led offensively in the series by sophmore first baseman Philip Hawke. Hawke went 4 for 6 in the series with two homeruns and
four RBI.

Louisiana takes two-out-of-three against Southwest Texas in the series and will now travel to Natchitoches, La., to take on the Northwestern State Demons in a 6:30 game at Brown-Stroud Field this Tuesday night for the first of two meetings between the teams.

ULSI