Like a Bad Hangover

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The Cajuns are awaiting final word on the condition of infielder Brad Saloom, who injured a thumb in the opener of the Houston series Friday.

He did not play in the final two games, and if surgery is required he could miss from six to eight weeks ....

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Cajuns hope to get back on track at Tulane.

NEW ORLEANS — Like a bad hangover, Louisiana’s baseball team will for the second time try to erase the memories of a rough weekend.

A second weekend trip to Houston in the month-old season produced a similar result — three losses — and now the Ragin’ Cajuns will look to right the ship once again against an in-state foe, and hope for better results this time.

The Cajuns came back from the Minute Maid Park College Classic two weekends ago and lost a 3-0 decision to Northwestern State. Now, after losing three road games to Houston’s Cougars Friday through Sunday, the squad will head to Tulane’s Turchin Stadium tonight for a 6:30 p.m. contest.

The Cajuns (5-10) collected only 15 hits in three games against the Cougars, and didn’t profit from some solid pitching efforts — an oft-repeated story through four weeks of the campaign.

“We just have to keep doing what we’re doing,” said Cajun head coach Tony Robichaux, “pitching good, and hopefully break this rut we’re in swinging the bat.”

They’ll need to against a Green Wave squad that took a 9-1 record to the last weekend’s KIA Tournament at Fullerton, Calif., and promptly came back 9-4 with losses to host Cal State Fullerton, UCLA and Texas.

The Wave was hitting .374 for the season and had a team ERA of 2.93 on the flight out. Now, Tulane’s at a still-solid but more reasonable .331 and 3.32.

Two who didn’t slow down were preseason Conference USA Player of the Year Michael Aubrey and Jon Kaplan. Aubrey is hitting .458 with two homers and 18 RBI in 13 games, while Kaplan is at .408 with seven extra-base hits.

But Robichaux was less concerned with Tulane’s performers than his own squad, one that’s hitting only .210 and has only one regular — junior outfielder Corey Coles — hitting over the .300 mark (.327). His squad is also 0-7 away from Moore Field this season.

“All we can do is keep putting the uniform on and go back out,” he said. “You can’t quit. Quitting’s not an option for me. We just have to fight through it and work through it.”

What the Cajuns have done well is pitch, a fact that is only partially reflected on the statistics sheet. Opponents are hitting only .267 this year, but all four Cajun regular starters are 1-2, with one of those — junior righthander Jered Salazar — figuring to get the call tonight.

Salazar (1-2, 4.50) did not see his regular rotation spot over the weekend due to a sore arm, and if he’s still not available it’s likely that Coles (0-1, 0.00) or regular reliever Kevin Ardoin (0-0, 3.55, 3 saves) will get the start.

“Jered’s been working with the trainers and getting his throwing in. “Robichaux said. “He may could have been ready for Sunday, but we didn’t want to push it. He’ll go if he can.”

The Tulane game kicks off a rugged five-day stretch for UL.

The Cajuns return to Moore Field this weekend to host the Mardi Gras Ball Tournament and welcome Ohio State, Wichita State and McNeese State for a round-robin.

“We have to do what we can,” Robichaux said, “and try to hopefully break out of the position we’re in offensively.”

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

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Louisiana's staff is waiting on the result of Justin Bourque’s eligibility appeal. The returning second baseman has not played this season while appealing for academic reinstatement. Their absences, coupled with the preseason departures of anticipated regulars Rocky Scelfo and Nick Bott, have left the Cajuns in a lurch up the middle, with Jordy Templet splitting time on the mound with shortstop duties. “Hopefully Justin will get eligible and that’ll help us,” Robichaux said, “but I really like what I’ve seen from Jordy at shortstop. He did a great job defensively over the weekend.”

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