Louisiana takes 2of3 vs Middle Tennessee

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Ragin' Cajuns entertain Raiders

LAFAYETTE — If a positive outlook means anything, Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun baseball team is in better shape entering a weekend series than at any time this entire season.

The Cajuns welcome Middle Tennessee for their first Sun Belt Conference home series beginning tonight at 6:35 p.m. at M. L. “Tigue” Moore Field, and after Wednesday’s exciting come-from-behind win over Tulane emotions are high despite the year-long struggles.

“That was a big win for us,” said Cajun head coach Tony Robichaux of Wednesday’s 8-7 bottom-of-the-ninth victory. “It was good for the hitters and good for our entire team.”

Louisiana (8-20, 1-2 Sun Belt) took its first win of the year over a ranked team when Ryan Core hit a two-out two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to wrap up the comeback win over the 19th-ranked Green Wave.

Now, the task is to direct focus at the visiting Blue Raiders in what stands as an important early-season series after the Cajuns took only one of three games in last weekend’s league openers at Western Kentucky.

Middle Tennessee (10-12, 1-2) is in a similar situation after the Raiders took one of three wins at home against New Mexico State last weekend.

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South Louisiana Publishing
Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[Turbine]

Cajuns WIN.

Can you hear the drum roll?

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE, La. - Dallas Morris singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth and reliever Kraig Schambough struck out five of the 10 batters he faced, as Louisiana erased a two-run deficit en route to a 4-3 Sun Belt Conference victory over Middle Tennessee Friday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

The win was the second straight in a comeback effort for the homestanding Ragin' Cajuns, as they scored three times in the bottom of the ninth to take a 9-8 win over 19th-ranked Tulane Wednesday in Lafayette. It was also their first this season against a lefthanded starter, upping their mark to 1-12.

The Cajuns (9-20, 2-2 SBC) got a single from Phillip Hawke to leadoff the ninth, though Blue Raider Shane Kemp did a good job in rightcenter to cut the ball off and keep Hawke to one base. Brad Saloom laid down a sacrifice bunt, advancing pinch-runner Matt Levering to second. An intentional walk to Kevin Preau set up the force out.

Levering advanced to third when an 0-2 curveball from Chase Swing found the dirt and got away from Blue Raider catcher Troy Harp. Morris then singled off the glove of a diving Jeff Beachum at second base, plating the winning run to give Louisiana the victory.

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MT Media Relations

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE - Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun baseball team won its second straight bottom of ninth thriller in a 4-3 final here at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. The win improves the Cajuns to 2-2 in Sun Belt play and 9-20 overall on the year.

Sophomore right-hander Kevin Ardoin received the start for the Cajuns against Blue Raider left-hander Steve Kline. The start was Ardoin’s third of the season after opening the season as the team’s closer.

The Blue Raiders scored first in the third inning following a one-out single to center field by shortstop Chad Cooper. Marcus Taylor doubled to right field scoring Cooper from first to put the Blue Raiders in front 1-0.

Middle Tennessee added another run against Ardoin in the fifth inning on a RBI single by Chad Cooper that scored center fielder Chuck Akers from second to give the Blue Raiders a 2-0 lead.

Junior outfielder Corey Coles put the Cajuns on the scoreboard with a leadoff homerun in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The homerun by Coles was just the second Cajun hit against Kline through the first six innings. Coles had the only other Cajun hit up to that point with a single in the third inning.

Ardoin gave up a lead off single to Blue Raider second baseman Jeff Beachum to open the seventh inning. Chuck Akers put Middle Tennessee ahead 3-1 with a one-out single to right field that scored Beachum from third. Junior reliever Kraig Schambough retired the next two batters after replacing Ardoin with one out in the inning.

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LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

LAFAYETTE — Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun baseball team won the final game of its three-game series with Middle Tennessee Sunday at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field, taking a 5-3 victory.

Louisiana took two of three over the weekend and improved to 3-3 in Sun Belt play and 10-21 overall, while MT fell to 2-4 and 11-14 on the season.

Cajun junior right-hander Jordy Templet (3-3) threw 7 1/3 innings, giving up just three runs on eight hits and striking out seven to get the win over MT starter Jerry Knox.

Louisiana third baseman Dallas Morris put the Cajuns on top 1-0 in the first inning with his second home run of the season.

Middle Tennessee responded to tie the game in the second inning on a RBI single to left field by clean-up hitter Jeff LeGuenec.

The Cajuns scored two more runs off Knox in the bottom of the second to re-take the lead, with leadoff hitter Jason Wilson driving in both with a single up the middle.

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South Louisiana Publishing