The Book: 2004 Baseball

[Turner]

I hate reading stuff like this, I can never remember the "Good Stuff" on a good stuff/bad stuff post, especially when it is hidden stuff.

[CajunCharlie]

Hee,Hee,Hee!!

[Oldman]

went to the 1st world series game last nite, i saw alot of improvement over last year, good arms in the outfield with good speed, good speed also on bases, improvement on the infield especially SS and other areas as well.......did anyone else go, if so what did you see? to me it looks real promisin, share with us your opinion. "GEAUX CAJUNS BEAT THE AGGIES."

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — The White team takes a 1-0 lead into tonight’s second game of Louisiana's 8th annual Fall Red-White World Series, a contest scheduled for 6 p.m. at Moore Field.

The White squad took a 12-6 win in Wednesday night’s opener of the best-of-five series, with veteran Kraig Schambough picking up the pitching win and his squad scoring eight runs in the sixth inning.

Schambough pitched five innings, scattering seven hits and fanning five while allowing two runs. Redshirt freshman Jeremy Whipple took the loss for the Red squad after giving up three hits, three walks and four earned runs after relieving starter Kevin Ardoin to start the bottom of the sixth. Ardoin had kept the White team in check through five allowing just three hits while fanning four.

Third baseman Dallas Morris had three hits and scored twice to lead the White unit in the opening win. Philip Hawke had three hits including a homer for the Red squad.

There is no admission. Game three is scheduled Saturday at 2 p.m.

LOUISIANA SI

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LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun baseball team continued its annual Vermilion-White Fall World Series Saturday afternoon at Moore Field, with the White team taking an early lead and holding on for a 9-7 victory.

The win gave the White unit a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, with game four set today at 2 p.m. A fifth game, if necessary, would be part of a doubleheader today.

Ian Pecoraro picked up Saturday’s win for the White.

The White team scored four runs off Jeff Martinez to take a 4-2 lead after four innings of play. A two-run double by Jason Rodriguez highlighted a three-run fourth inning.

Pecoraro held the Vermilion team to two runs (one earned) on two hits through four innings and left the game with the White team in front 5-2.

The White team added three more runs in the sixth. Justin Merendino plated two runs with a double to right field.

to give the White team an 8-3 lead, and later added another RBI.

Merendino picked up his third RBI of the game with a two-out double off Collins in the seventh inning to extend the White lead to six runs at 9-3.
LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

Takes 2-1 Fall Series Lead

LOUISIANA La. - Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team continued with game three of the annual Vermilion-White Fall World Series here from M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field here Saturday afternoon as the White team defeated the Vermilion team 9-7 to take a 2-1 lead in the best of five game series.

The White team bats scored four runs off Vermilion team starter Jeff Martinez to take a 4-2 lead after four innings of play. A two-run double by Jason Rodriguez highlighted a three-run fourth inning against Martinez.

White team starter Ian Pecoraro held the Vermilion team to two runs (one earned), on two hits through four innings and left the game with the White team in front 5-2 in the fifth inning.

The White team added three more runs in the sixth off Vermilion reliever Jeremy Collins. Justin Merendino plated two runs with a double to right field to give the White team an 8-3 lead.

Merendino picked up his third RBI of the game with a two-out double off Collins in the seventh inning to extend the White lead to six runs at 9-3.

The Vermilion team mounted a seventh inning rally by scoring two runs against White reliever Ben Belanger. Phillip Hawke picked up a RBI on a sacrifice fly that scored Justin Bourque from third with the first run and Micah Cockrell scored from third on a wild pitch later in the inning to cut the deficit to 9-5.

Vermilion team reliever Tim Hazelwood held the White team hitless in the eighth and ninth innings to hold the deficit at four runs.

With the Vermilion team down to its last three outs Justin Bourque led off the ninth inning against reliever Chris King with a double off the right field wall. Micah Cockrell followed Bourque’s hit with a triple to left field that made it a three run game. Cockrell scored from third on Phillip Hawke’s second sacrifice fly of the game to put the tying run in the on-deck circle with just one out.

King then settled down to record the save by getting seniors Kevin Preau and Ryan Core to fly out for the final outs of the game.

Ian Pecoraro picked up the win for the White squad, while Jeff Martinez suffered the loss after giving up four runs (three earned) over 4.1 innings for the Vermilion team.

The offensive leaders for the White team included left fielder Alex Preciado who went 3 for 4 with two runs scored, and shortstop Justin Merendino with two hits and three RBI’s. Merendino leads all players with six RBI’s in three games.

The 2003 Ragin’ Cajuns Fall World Series will conclude with game four at 2 p.m. on Sunday. If necessary game five will be seven innings and will follow immediately after game four. The White team leads the best of five game series 2-1 heading into Sunday.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA SI - With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning senior Rhett Buras lifted a towering shot over the right field wall for a two-run,walk-off homerun lifting the White Team to a 7-5 win in game four of the 2003 Louisiana Baseball Fall World Series, clinching the series 3-1 and a steak dinner for each one of his teammates.

The game put an end to the fall season for the Cajuns baseball program and guarantees each member of the White Team a steak at the annual Steak 'N Beans Supper to be held Wednesday, Oct. 22 - the prize for the winner of the Fall World Series.

Buras' shot put an end to 5 1/2 innings of scoreless ball and helped the White team atone for a ninth-inning snafu in which they squandered a bases loaded, one-out situation with the chance to end the game in regulation.

The game appeared to be headed for the 12th inning after Vermilion Team relief pitcher Jeremy Whipple retired the first two batters in the bottom of the 11th.

However, Brad Saloom beat out a dribbler down the first-base line to keep the inning alive and set up Buras' game-winning shot.

The home run was Buras' second hit of the game as he joined four other White Team members with at least two hits. Josh Landry led the White Team with three hits. The 3-4-5-6 hitters were a combined 8-for-19.

Thad Montgomery (1-1) avenged a loss in game three by earning the win in relief after pitching three innings and allowing just two hits to the 11 batters he faced.

Whipple, who served up the homer to Buras, suffered the loss after throwing 7 2/3 innings of relief. He had kept the White Team scoreless since the fifth inning.

The White team had a chance to win the game in the ninth. Jason Rodriguez tripled into the left center field gap with one out to put the winning run 90 feet from home.

That was followed by back-to-back intentional walks by the Vermilion Team to load the bases in order to create a force play at any base.

The strategy paid dividends as Whipple induced a ground ball to third from Chris McGuirt from which Justin Bourque fired a strike to catcher Ryan Core for the force play at home.

Whipple worked his way out of the jam on the next at bat as Justin Morgan grounded out to second for the final out of the inning to force extras.

Both pitchers breezed through each half of the tenth inning retiring both sides in order to set-up the dramatic finish in the eleventh..

Montgomery did his part for the White team by retiring the Vermilion batters in order in the top half of the eleventh to give way to Buras’ series clinching shot in the bottom half of the inning.

White team senior third baseman Dallas Morris led both teams in the series with a .444 batting average (8-18), scoring five runs with two stolen bases.

In addition to Buras’ series winning homerun the senior first baseman batted .353 (6-17) with a double, triple, and six runs scored over the four games.

North Central Texas JC transfer Justin Merendino led both teams with six RBI in the series while playing infield for the White team. Vermilion team senior first baseman Phillip Hawke followed with 5 RBI’s of his own.

Freshman infielder Devon Bourque led the Vermilion team in hitting with a .400 (6-15) average.

Other notable offensive stats for the Vermilion squad included Howard College JC transfer Leonard Guerrero’s .375 average with two homeruns and Seminole JC transfer John Coker’s .333 average and four stolen bases.

Louisiana will open the 2004 season with a three-game series at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field against Sam Houston State beginning Friday, Feb. 13.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

Ragin' Cajuns to play 33 of 56 games at Moore Field

LOUISIANA La. - Fans of Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball program will have plenty of opportunities to catch their favorite team in action during the upcoming 2004 season.

Head coach Tony Robichaux announced Saturday the 56-game slate for 2004 which will mark his 10th season at the helm.

UL will play a total of 33 games at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field and play host to eight, three-game weekend series - all adding up to the most regular season games at Moore Field in the Robichaux era.

"When putting together this schedule we were trying to get more home games," Robichaux commented. "A lot of teams around the country are doing this right now because more and more schools are looking to put money into their stadiums.

"We were able to accomplish that and as a result we'll see more home games and more three-game series here," said Robichaux. "I'm looking forward to that."

UL will also play 17 games against seven teams that advanced to the 2003 NCAA Regionals including Sun Belt Conference foes South Alabama and Middle Tennessee.

The season will open on Friday, February 13 against Sam Houston State, for the first game of a season-opening three-game series. SHSU opens a Cajuns slate for the third time, last doing so in 2000.

The Cajuns will play 21 of the first 27 games at the friendly confines of Moore Field during the months of February and March.

Louisiana's first road test of the season will come Feb. 20-22 in San Marcos, Texas, against Texas State (formerly Southwest Texas State) - a return trip for last season's series at Moore Field.

Following the TSU series the Cajuns will play 17 of the next 21 games at Moore Field highlighted by an 11-game homestand March 12-28. Right in the middle of the stretch is a three-game series at Wichita State March 5-7 for the Cajuns only other road games until April 2.

The 24-game Sun Belt schedule begins March 26-28 as UL Lafayette hosts Western Kentucky.

Louisiana will log plenty of miles in April as the Cajuns play 12 of 18 games on the road including nine SBC games.

The travels begin April 2-4 in Murfreesboro, Tenn., against 2003 Sun Belt Tournament champion Middle Tennessee. An eight-game road trip in the middle of the month includes stops at SBC foes Arkansas-Little Rock (April 16-18) and Florida International (April 23-25).

A three-game series with I-10 rival New Orleans concludes the month of April and begins play in May.

Senior weekend will be celebrated May 14-16 against Arkansas State at Moore Field while the regular season wraps up May 21-23 at South Alabama.

The 2004 Sun Belt Conference Tournament will be held Wednesday-Saturday, May 26-29 in Mobile, Ala.

Traditional mid-week games dot the Cajuns' schedule from February to May. Home-and-home series are with Lamar (March 23 and April 28), Nicholls State (Feb. 25 and May 18), McNeese State (April 13 and April 27) and Northwestern State (April 7 and May 11).

The Cajuns will face in-state opponent Tulane April 21 at Zephyr Field in Metairie.

First-time opponents on the schedule include Stony Brook (Feb. 27-29), Furman (March 12-14), Michigan (March 19) and Harvard (March 20-21).

For ticket information, contact the UL Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 265-2100 or log onto the internet at www.ragincajuns.com.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

2004 LOUISIANA RAGIN' CAJUNS BASEBALL SCHEUDLE

Feb. 13(Fri), SAM HOUSTON STATE, 6:35 p.m.
Feb. 14(Sat), SAM HOUSTON STATE, 2 p.m.
Feb. 15(Sun), SAM HOUSTON STATE, 1 p.m.
Feb. 17(Tues), LOUISIANA-MONROE, 6:30pm
Feb. 20(Fri), at Texas State-San Marcos, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 21(Sat), at Texas State-San Marcos, 3 p.m.
Feb. 22(Sun), at Texas State-San Marcos, 1 p.m.
Feb. 25 (Wed), NICHOLLS STATE, 6:30 p.m.
Feb. 27 (Fri), STONY BROOK, 6:35 p.m.
Feb. 27 (Sat), STONY BROOK, 2 p.m.
Feb. 27 (Sun), STONY BROOK, Noon

March 2 (Tues), SIENA, 6:30 p.m.
March 3 (Wed), SIENA, 6:30 p.m.
March 5 (Fri), at Wichita State, 3 p.m.
March 6 (Sat), at Wichita State, 2 p.m.
March 7 (Sun), at Wichita State, 1 p.m.
March 12 (Fri), FURMAN, 6:35 p.m.
March 13 (Sat), FURMAN, 2 p.m.
March 14 (Sun), FURMAN, 1 p.m.
March 16 (Tues), TEXAS SOUTHERN, 6:30 p.m.
March 19 (Fri), MICHIGAN, 6:35 p.m.
March 20 (Sat), HARVARD, 2 p.m.
March 21 (Sun), HARVARD, 4 p.m.
March 23 (Tues), LAMAR, 6:30 p.m.
March 26 (Fri), * WESTERN KENTUCKY, 6:35 p.m.
March 27 (Sat), * WESTERN KENTUCKY, 2 p.m.
March 28 (Sun), * WESTERN KENTUCKY, 1 p.m.

April 2 (Fri), * at Middle Tennessee, 7 p.m.
April 3 (Sat), * at Middle Tennessee, 2 p.m.
April 4 (Sun), * at Middle Tennessee, 1 p.m.
April 7 (Wed), NORTHWESTERN STATE, 6:30 p.m.
April 9 (Fri), * NEW MEXICO STATE, 6:35 p.m.
April 10 (Sat), * NEW MEXICO STATE, 2 p.m.
April 11 (Sun), * NEW MEXICO STATE, 1 p.m.
April 13 (Tues), at McNeese State, 7 p.m.
April 16 (Fri), * at Arkansas-Little Rock, 6 p.m.
April 17 (Fri), * at Arkansas-Little Rock, 2 p.m.
April 18 (Fri), * at Arkansas-Little Rock, 1 p.m.
April 21 (Wed), vs. Tulane (Zephyr Field), 6:30 p.m.
April 23 (Fri), * at Florida International, 6 p.m.
April 24 (Sat), * at Florida International, Noon
April 25 (Sun), * at Florida International, Noon
April 27 (Tues), McNEESE STATE, 6:30 p.m.
April 28 (Wed), at Lamar, 7 p.m.
April 30 (Fri), * NEW ORLEANS, 6:35 p.m.

May 1 (Sat), * NEW ORLEANS, 2 p.m.
May 2 (Sun), * NEW ORLEANS, 1 p.m.
May 5 (Wed), SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA, 6:30 p.m.
May 11 (Tues), at Northwestern State, 6:30 p.m.
May 14 (Fri), * ARKANSAS STATE, 6:35 p.m
May 15 (Sat), * ARKANSAS STATE, 2 p.m.
May 16 (Sun), * ARKANSAS STATE, 1 p.m.
May 18 (Tues), at Nicholls State, 6:30 p.m.
May 21 (Fri), * at South Alabama, 6 p.m.
May 22 (Sat), * at South Alabama, 1 p.m.
May 23 (Sun), * at South Alabama, 1 p.m.
May 26-29 (Wed-Sat), at Sun Belt Tournament (Mobile, Ala.)

June 4-6, NCAA Regionals
June 11-13, NCAA Super Regionals
June 18-28, NCAA College World Series (Omaha, Neb.)

All home games in CAPS played at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field (3,500)

All times are Central Standard and subject to change
*indicates Sun Belt Conference Game

LOUISIANA SI

[Rebel02]

By reading the article and looking at the schedule, it looks like we are not hosting the Mardi Gras tournament this season. Anyone know why?

Hopefully we will be able to start off hot this season and continue throughout the season. I am excited about this team and season, and its still 4 months away!!

GEAUX CAJUNS!!