Defending Sun Belt Conference champion Louisiana has been selected as the unanimous preseason favorite to repeat as league victor, according to the Preseason Coaches Poll released by the conference Tuesday. The Ragin' Cajuns finished with 121 points, 14 ahead of 2007 Sun Belt Conference Tournament champion New Orleans.
"Just like the preseason top 25 polls, I feel the same way with this one," Louisiana head coach Tony Robichaux said. "We appreciate the honor from the other coaches in the league, but we still must work hard every day in practice.
"We still have to play every game to the best of our ability," Robichaux said. "Our attitude and determination will not waver during the regular season because it's not about where you are at the beginning of the season, but where you are at the end."
In addition to the Ragin' Cajuns earning all 11 coaches votes, four players earned Preseason All-Sun Belt honors. Senior southpaw Hunter Moody (Clinton, La.) and junior closer-turned-starter Danny Farquhar (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) were selected as two of the team's three starting pitchers. Farquhar garnered the league's top pitching honor as the SBC Preseason Pitcher of the Year, marking the second straight season a Cajuns pitcher earned the honor (Moody in 2007).
Reigning Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year Nolan Gisclair (Marrero, La.) and NCBWA All-American Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) rounded out the Cajuns' Preseason All-Sun Belt picks at outfielder and designated hitter, respectively.
"We are very appreciative that our players drew this kind of respect from the other coaches around the Sun Belt Conference," Robichaux said.
Moody finished the 2007 season with a team-high eight wins and a 4.13 earned run average, while tossing 85.0 innings. He recorded 75 strikeouts compared to 21 walks, while surrendering 97 hits. Moody did not allow double-digit hits in any game he started and had at least one strikeout in all 15 appearances.
The 2006 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year was dominant once again against league opponents, posting a solid 7-1 SBC record with a 3.08 conference ERA.
Farquhar, a Brooks Wallace Award Watch List honoree, made 30 appearances last season, tying for second-most in a single season. He started the season as the Cajuns closer and made a team-high six saves before moving into a starting role. Farquhar tossed a 6-3 record on the mound with a 3.08 ERA - the best ERA among Cajuns startes. He also struck out a team-high 115 batters, walking just 22 batters in 87 2/3 innings of work.
He ranked ninth in the NCAA in strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents batted just .237 against the right-hander. As a closer, Farquhar had 12 consecutive outings without allowing a run - a span of 20 2/3 innings.
Gisclair, who started 55 of 58 games in the outfield a season ago, finished second on the team with 78 hits along with 27 extra-base hits. Ten of his 13 home runs came in Sun Belt play with two more coming at the NCAA College Station Regional. Gisclair also drove in 54 runs, while scoring 43 times. He finished second on the team with 24 multi-hit games and tied for the team lead with 13 multi-RBI games.
Without a doubt, Hawkins was the Cajuns' most menacing hitter in 2007.The first team All-Sun Belt selection hit .344 on the season with 72 hits in 209 at bats. He hit a team-high 16 home runs en route to second team All-America honors last season. His 16 homers are tied for fourth in school history with Justin Hemme (1998) and Papo Ramos (1992). He ranked in the Cajuns' top five in 12 different different offensive categories, while leading the team with a .376 batting average and 12 home runs in Sun Belt games. Hawkins later tied a pair of single-game school records with four walks against Florida Atlantic (March 25) and five runs scored against UALR.
Fans can get their first look at the 2008 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team at its annual Fan Day on Saturday, Feb. 16. Gates at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field will open at 11 a.m. Louisiana opens the regular season on Friday, Feb. 22, in game one of the UTSA Baseball Classic in San Antonio, Texas.
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Re: 2008 Ragin' Cajuns Baseball A to Z Fan Guide
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