Ragin' Cajuns Return to "The Tigue" for FIU Series
• With a prosperous nine-game road trip in the books, Louisiana returns home for the first time in nearly three weeks as the Ragin' Cajuns host the Florida International Golden Panthers for a three-game Sun Belt series tilt this weekend.
• The Ragin' Cajuns (10-12) are in the midst of their longest winning streak of the season (four games), but have lost its last three at home.
• For the third consecutive game, Louisiana needed to rally from an early deficit as the Cajuns upended Northwestern State 7-6 in extra innings Wednesday in Natchitoches.
• Justin Robichaux recorded his third straight save in as many chances, increasing his season total to six.
• Senior Hunter Moody, who will get the starting nod on the bump Friday night, needs one more victory to become the school's career wins leader.
• After hitting just three home runs as a team through the first 13 games, the Ragin' Cajuns have homered in each of their last nine contests (13 home runs).
POWER OUTING AWAY FROM HOME. Through the first 13 games of the season, UL hit just three home runs as a team, posting a 4-9 record...
The Cajuns have hit a home run in each of their last nine games, totaling 13 blasts...All but one of the Cajuns' 16 home runs have come away from "The Tigue." Louisiana's only home run at home came from Scott Hawkins on March 5 against Southeastern Louisiana.
THIRD TIME AROUND. Prior to last weekend's series at UALR, Louisiana had failed to win when trailing in a game...
After back-to-back heroic outings at UALR to capture the series sweep, the Cajuns used another rally for a 7-6 extra-inning victory at Northwestern State...
Trailing 3-1 in the fourth, the Cajuns took a 4-3 lead and added two more runs for a three-run edge in the fifth. The Cajuns held on until the eighth when the Demons tied the game at 6 all...
Then, in the 11th inning, Tyler Benzel delivered the biggest hit of his young career, sending a RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Matt Hicks and give the Cajuns a 7-6 win.
FREE BASEBALL. Wednesday, Louisiana played its second extra-inning contest of the season, posting a different outcome from its first affair. The Cajuns scored the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run in 11th inning for a 7-6 win...
The 11-inning game was the Cajuns' longest since they placed Arkansas State to 11 innings on April 27, 2007 (6-5).
AUTOMATIC ROBICHAUX. For the third straight game, Justin Robichaux came on in the final inning to preserve a Cajuns victory. On Wednesday, Robichaux notched his team-high sixth save of the season, matching 2007's team leader Danny Farquhar...
Robichaux is on pace to shatter the school's single-season save record of eight which was set by Aaron Welboune in 2000...Robichaux is the 10th Cajun reliever to notch at least six saves in a single season.
TRIPLE CROWN. Hunter Moody earned his third Sun Belt Conference Pitcher award Monday. Moody's third weekly league honor is a single-season school record...
Moody became the first pitcher in school history to be named Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week successive weeks. Monday's recognition is the fifth of his career, tying him with Kevin Ardoin for the most in school history.
SNAP, CRACKLE, POP. Senior centerfielder Josh Logan exploded last week, hitting an astounding .625 (10-for-16) with six extra-base hits, including his first two career home runs...
Logan popped UALR pitching for eight hits in 12 at bats, while also swiping three stolen bases. He drove in three runs in each of the final two games in the series - tying a career high.
LOGAN NAMED LSWA HITTER OF THE WEEK. For his efforts last week, Josh Logan was named the LSWA Hitter of the Week - a season first for a Cajuns hitter...Earlier this year, Hunter Moody won the first two LSWA Pitcher of the Week honors, matching his first two SBC awards.
HITTING CLINIC. Louisiana has recorded double-digit hits in four of its last five games. All six of the Cajuns' double-digit hit efforts have come on the road...Louisiana rapped out a season-high 14 hits during last Wednesday's loss at Rice. The Cajuns' 14 base knocks were the most since recording 15 vs. Troy in the Sun Belt Tournament on May 24, 2007.
GAINING GROUND. Entering last weekend's series at UALR, Louisiana was one game out of 10th place in the Sun Belt standings, having lost five of its first six games...After a series sweep, the Cajuns sit in sixth place and are one game out of fourth place (Arkansas State).
MOODY BLUES. Senior Hunter Moody has become arguably one of the greatest pitchers in school and SBC history and is on pace to rewrite the Cajuns career record book...Moody's next start will be the 44th of his career, which will move him into fourth place on the career list. He needs 1 1/3 innings to move into fifth place in career innings pitched...His next victory will be his 27th, which will set a new school record...Moody also needs five strikeouts to move into fifth place on the career punch-out list.
HAWKINS HOMERING TOWARD TOP FIVE. Scott Hawkins hit his team-leading fifth homer of the season Wednesday at Northwestern State. Hawkins now has 26 career blasts and trails Dallas Morris (29) by three for fifth on the all-time list.
FIU SCOUTING REPORT. FIU (9-17) has lost its last five games and seven of its last eight. Tuesday, the Golden Panthers dropped an 11-7 decision to two-time defending NCAA Division II national champion Tampa in Miami...This weekend will mark FIU's first SBC series since March 14-16 when the Golden Panthers took two out of three from UALR in Miami. FIU won the first two games rather easily before UALR pummeled the Golden Panthers 18-6 in the finale...The Golden Panthers are 1-9 away from Miami with their only road win coming on March 8 at Troy (8-2).
FIU SERIES. Louisiana is 18-15 all-time against FIU and had won seven in a row before losing in the series finale last season in Miami...The Cajuns are 8-4 in series at home. It will be FIU's first trip to "The Tigue" since 2005 when the Cajuns won two out of three.
UP NEXT - LAMAR. Louisiana's four-game homestand concludes Tuesday for Season Ticket Redemption Night with the rival Lamar Cardinals.
FOLLOWING LAMAR. The Cajuns will endure their second five-game week of the season as they will travel to Hammond to face the Southeastern Louisiana Lions Wednesday.
REDEMPTION NIGHT SET FOR TUESDAY. Tuesday night's game will be the first of two Season Ticket Redemption Nights at "The Tigue"...Fans can redeem any unused season tickets from any of the Cajuns' previous 11 home dates for additional tickets for Tuesday night's game.
RaginCajuns.com
Chris Yandle
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Re: Ragin' Cajuns Return to "The Tigue" for FIU Series
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