The Book: 2004 Baseball

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Wichita, Kan. - The Cajuns came into Sunday’s game three looking to pick up one game out of the three-game weekend series against Wichita State. The Shockers; however, would not give up an inch to the isiting Cajuns who were shelled with XX hits as Wichita State cruised to the three game sweep XX-XX.

Four run sixth and seventh innings for Louisiana put the Cajuns in an inescapable hole.

Logan Sorensen hit a stand-up double into left with one out in the Shockers’ half of inning six and stole third putting him 90 feet away from the plate. Drew Moffitt walked placing runners on the corners. Mark Johnson batted in Sorensen with a single and Brandon Green cleared the pads with a double to center giving WSU an 8-4 lead while chasing Cajuns reliever Aaron Hays in favor of Franco Cardinale. Joe Muich hit a soft single into right to plate Green. Cardinale would use a double play to get out of the inning, but not before the hosts mustered four runs on four hits in the stanza increasing the lead to 9-4.

Shawn Smarsh singled to the left side to start the bottom of the seventh for WSU before Phil Napolitan got an infield single putting runners at first and second with no outs. Smarsh scored on an errant throw into third base. Nick Blasi walked and stole second before Sorensen swatted a single to bring home the two runners. Sorensen stole second and third.

Bubba Oliver came in to pitch and would surrender one more run on a wild pitch, but got out of the inning on a called strike three.

With the loss, Louisiana-Lafayette falls to 7-5 on the season.

Mathew Jakubov (1-0) got the win for the Shockers going five innings giving up four runs on six hits striking out five Cajuns.

Hays (0-1) took the loss for the Cajuns going two innings surrendering five runs on six hits.

The Cajuns picked up one run in the first; but squandered a chance to add more runs with runners on second and third with no outs. Justin Merendino started the game by reaching first on a Shockers fielding error and moved over to second when Josh Landry singled to the first baseman. Merendino scored when Dallas Morris hit a bloop single to right center and advanced to second on the throw.

Napolitan walked and stole second with no outs in the first for WSU. Cajuns starter Josh Kohrs struck out the next batter but issued a walks to Sorensen and Moffitt loading the bases. Mark Johnson tied the game with a single to left. Kohrs pitched out of the jam by getting Muich to swing and miss at a pitch on the outside corner of the zone, leaving the three baserunners on the pads.

Kevin Preau was hit by a pitch on the first offering in the top of the second and stole to put himself in scoring position; but was doubled up on a Ryan Core line drive to the WSU second baseman who was in perfect position to turn two.

Muich walked in the bottom of the fourth and advanced to third on a McCoola single to center field. Smarsh walked to load the bases and bring up the top of the Shockers batting order. Napolitan reached second on a fielder’s choice and a throwing error that scored two. Blasi doubled to left to score Napolitan. Soensen singled up the middle to put the runners on the corners. Aaron Hays came on in relief and struck out the next two to get out of the inning.

Preau doubled to right and advances to third on a Ryan Core single to center in the top half of inning five. Core was lifted for a pinch runner in Adam Massiatte before John Coker singled to right center plating Preau to cut the Shockers lead in half. Landry delivered a single to the right side scoring Massiatte and moving Coker from second to third. Morris plated Coker on a sacrifice fly to center tying the game 4-4.

Wichita State pulled ahead in the fifth Brandon Green doubled down the left field line to start the inning. Green scored on a Muich single to right. Hays forced McCoola into a double play before giving up a single to Smarsh who stole second. Napolitan drew a free pass but was caught stealing by Massiatte who took over catching duties behind the plate.

Saloom and Preau walked in the top of the ninth and Massiatte delivered a single to right center to bring Saloom home. The Cajuns picked up another RBI when Coker slapped a single to left, scoring Preau. Landry reached base on an error and pinch hitter Philip Hawke delivered a single to score Massiatte bringing the tally to 13-7; but the Shockers would get out of the jam wit a strikeout, that ended the game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will fly back tomorrow and prepare for a midweek game against Nicholls Wednesday night at Moore Field. The first pitch will be thrown out at 6:30 p.m.

LOUISIANA SI

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LOUISIANA La. — UL opened up a 12-game homestand by blasting out three home runs and capturing a 11-6 victory over the Nicholls St. Colonels, Wednesday night, snapping a three-game losing streak in the process.

“We did some good things tonight,” said Cajun head coach Tony Robichaux. “The hitters stayed inside the baseball, and we swung the bat with a lot of confidence.”

The Cajuns got things going early, scoring a run in the first inning for the fourth consecutive game, as Justin Merendino doubled off the left-field wall off of Colonel starter Shawn LeBlanc, and later scored on a error, giving the Cajuns a 1-0 lead.

Nicholls St. answered with a run in the top half of the second off of Cajun starter Jered Salazar, when Jake Ritchie led off the inning with a walk, moved to second on a single by Bubba Bell, and then scored on a single by Dustin Roddy, knotting the game up at 1-1.

The Cajuns responded with five runs on four hits in their half of the second.

With one out in the frame, Jason Rodriguez singled, and then scored on a double off the bat by Micah Cockrell, giving the Cajuns a 2-1 lead.

Later, after Merendino walked with two out, Josh Landry drove home Cockrell with a single, expanding the Cajuns lead to 3-1.

That’s when Dallas Morris hit a three-run homer over the right-field wall, giving the Cajuns a huge 6-1 lead.

The rest of the story

Steve Pelloquin

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LOUISIANA La. - The Ragin' Cajuns scattered five runs throughout the contest as they rolled to a 5-2 victory over the Furman Paladins Friday night at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

Kevin Ardoin picked up his second win of the season as the Cajuns improved to 9-5 overall. Ardoin (2-1) pitched seven innings without surrendering an earned run and striking out nine.

Brandt Sanders saved the game for Louisiana-Lafayette.

Starting pitcher David Mitchell took the loss for Furman going five innings while surrendering four runs on seven hits.

Case Cassedy reached on an error with two gone in the second for Furman; but Ardoin would get out of the inning with a routine ground out to third.

Phillip Hawke gave the Cajuns a 1-0 lead with a solo shot over the center field wall to lead off the bottom of the second.

Trying to keep pace with Hawke, Justin Merendino went deep in the bottom of the third giving the home team the 2-0 edge.

Furman’s Derek Norman doubled down the third base line with one away in the fourth. Dominic Franchini moved Norman to third with a slow-rolling single to short. The Paladins pulled Norman across the plate on a fielding error.

Dallas Morris started the bottom half of inning four with a stand-up double. Morris moved over to third on a ground out to the second base side. Jason Rodriguez slapped a single up the middle scoring Morris and giving the Cajuns the 3-1 advantage.

Nick Wajda hit a single to center field and advanced to single on an error. Wajda wound up on third after tagging up on a lofty fly out to right field. Ardoin would; however, pitch out of the jam employing the strikeout to get out of the inning.

Adam Massiatte hit a bloop that fell for a double down the right field line with no outs in the bottom of the fifth. John Coker advanced Massiatte to third with a single that found its way through the left side. Massiatte scored on a Merendino sacrifice fly to center increasing the Cajuns’ lead to 4-1.

Morris knocked a seeing-eye single up the middle to start the sixth before Hawke drew a walk on a full count. Brad Saloom, pinch-hitting in the designated hitter spot, laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. The Cajuns; however, were not able to add any insurance runs in the inning.

Furman pinch hitter, Joe Daysh singled with no outs off of Brandt Sanders who came on in relief of Ardoin. Franchini doubled to left plating Daysh and cutting the Cajuns lead in half.

Cajuns leftfielder Leonard Guerrero was hit by the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the eighth to take first with no outs. He advanced to third on Hawke’s double off the left field wall. Saloom was intentionally walked to load the bases. Micah Cockrell walked on a full count to bring in the fifth run on the night for the home team.

The Cajuns will tangle with the same Furman Paladins in games two and three of the series tomorrow. Game one of the doubleheader will start at 2 p.m. at Moore Field.

LOUISIANA SI

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UL, Furman to play 2 p.m. twinbill today; no game Sunday.

LOUISIANA La. — For the second straight game, Louisiana used the long ball and strong pitching to help propel them to a victory.

After blasting three homers in a 11-6 win over Nicholls St. on Wednesday night, the Cajuns hit two more Friday night in a 5-2 win over the Furman Paladins.

“We have to have difference makers to be successful,” said Cajun head coach Tony Robichaux. “And the big hits we got tonight were probably the difference in the game.”

The Cajuns (9-5) drew first blood in th bottom half of the second inning, as Phillip Hawke knocked a 2-1 pitch over the centerfield wall off of Furman starter David Michell, giving the Cajuns a 1-0 advantage.

Justin Merendino extended the Cajun lead to two in the bottom half of the third, as he belted a 3-2 pitch deep over the fence in left-field, making the score 2-0.

“Our hitters did a good job of hitting late in the count,” said Robichaux. “We were able to keep our hips in the middle and stay aggressive.”

Furman (4-9) was able to score a run off of Cajun starter Kevin Ardoin in their half of the fourth, as Derek Norman doubled with one out, moved to third on a single by Dominic Franchini, and later scored on an error, one of four committed by the Cajuns, to cut the Cajun lead to 2-1.

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LOUISIANA La. - A three error fifth inning was the difference in game one of today’s doubleheader against the Furman Paladins at Moore Field.

In the fifth, Furman’s Nick Wajda reached second on an infield error before Andrew Green singled to put baserunners on the corners with no outs. Wajda scored on a throwing error before Green crossed on the third error of the inning for the Cajuns. Green’s run brought the Paladins lead to 6-2.

Kraig Schambough took the loss for Louisiana-Lafayette as the Cajuns loss their sixth game of the season and their first at home this season. Schambough (2-1) went eight innings giving up four earned runs on eight hits and striking out eight.

Sam Perry got the win for the visiting Furman Paladins. Perry (1-0) pitched five innings surrendering two earned runs on three hits while striking out a pair of Cajuns.

Green reached first on a bunt and swiped second to start the first before moving over to third on a ground out to short. Green crossed the plate on a sacrifice fly to right center that had two of the Cajuns outfielders crossed up.

Adam Massiatte singled to left and stole second to start the bottom of the third before Josh Landry took Perry deep to right center and gone, giving the Cajuns the 2-1 lead.

Craig Caudill hit a single through the right side to open the top of the fourth before Derek Norman singled to put baserunners on the corners for the Paladins. Caudill came in to score on Mathew Betsill’s single to the second base side knotting the contest at two apiece.

In the same inning, A.J. Hildreth bunted for a single that brought in a run giving Furman back the one-run lead. Betsill stole third and scored on a fielder’s choice to second which put Furman ahead 4-2.

Micah Cockrell doubled to center before Massiatte reached on an error moving the lead runner to third. Justin Merendino plated Cockrell on a fielder’s choice cutting the Furman lead in half 6-3.

Schambough sat the Paladins down in order in both the sixth, seventh and eighth stanzas.

Cockrell reached base on a Paladins error in the bottom of the seventh before advancing 90 feet on a Massiatte single to right center. The Cajuns; however, would not convert any runs in the inning stranding the two on base.

Betsill singled to left field to start the top of the ninth just before Thad Montgomery came on in relief of Schambough. Montgomery retired the next three batters in order to get out of the inning.

The tides would turn for the Cajuns in game two of the doubleheader. UL pounded out twelve hits and converted three runs in both the second and sixth innings en route to a 9-2 victory. The Cajuns improved to 10-6 with the showing in the seven-inning affair.

Cajuns starter Josh Kohrs got the win as the Cajuns improve to 10-6 on the season. Kohrs (2-0) pitched the full seven innings surrendering two runs on six hits while retiring eight batters at the plate.

Furman starter Kyle Funk took the loss for the Paladins pitching three and two-thirds innings allowing five runs on eight hits.

Dallas Morris knocked a bloop that fell for a double to the right side with two gone in the bottom of the first. Coach Tony Robichaux put on the hit and run with Phillip Hawke at the plate, which scored Morris giving the Cajuns the early 1-0 advantage.

Micah Cockrell reached second on an error and advanced to third on a Leonard Guerrero single to right in the bottom of the second. Justin Merendino stepped in and turned on a 1-2 pitch driving it deep to left field and gone pulling the Cajuns ahead 4-0.

The three-run shot was Merendino’s second homerun of the season.

In the same inning, Josh Landry singled to left and moved to second when Dallas Morris was plunked by a pitch. A double steal put runners on second and third, but the Cajuns would have to settle for three runs in the inning as Funk pitched out of the jam.

Furman shortstop A.J. Davidiuk singled to left before swiping second with no outs in the top of inning three, but Kohrs would strike out the next three ending the inning.

In the fourth, Derek Norman roped a single to center before the next batter, Dominic Franchini singled to the left side putting runners on first and second. Mathew Betsill walked to load the bases with no outs. Norman scored on a double play, which also put Franchini at third. Franchini crossed the plate on a Steven Hildreth single to second base pulling the Paladins to within two.

Landry doubled down the left field line and scored when Morris followed suit with a stand-up double of his own all with two outs in the bottom of the fourth. Landry’s run represented the fifth of the game for UL.

Funk was pulled in favor of Matt Klinker who got the last out in the inning for Furman.

Rodriguez started the bottom of the fifth with a single to center field before Brad Saloom walked on four straight offerings from Klinker. Adam Massiatte laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners into scoring position. Cockrell walked to load the bases. Guerrero singled up the middle, plating Rodriguez bringing the score to 6-2 favoring the home team. Guerrero’s single chased Klinker from the game in favor of Dan Washmuth.

Justin Merendino turned on a 1-2 pitch from Washmuth and singled into center driving in two more for the Cajuns.

Louisiana added one more when Morris walked with no outs to open the bottom of the sixth and came around to score on a throwing error after Hawke jammed a single to left.

Louisiana will face the Tigers of Texas Southern Tuesday night at Moore Field. The first pitch Tuesday night is set for 6:30 p.m.

LOUISIANA SI

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LOUISIANA La. — UL's baseball squad did what it’s supposed to do in a mid-week game here Tuesday night.

The Ragin’ Cajuns got solid pitching, steady defense and rapped out 14 hits including four home runs on the way to a 13-0 mauling of outmanned Texas Southern.

“We wanted to get a lot of people feeling good,” said Cajun coach Tony Robichaux. “You win on weekends when your bench is happy.”

The bench should be plenty happy after Tuesday’s win, since the non-starters went 4-for-8 at the plate with three homers, five RBI and four runs scored. A lot of that came from first baseman Rhett Buras, who entered the game in the sixth inning and had two-run homers in each of his two at-bats.

Dallas Morris and Justin Bourque also had home runs as part of the 14-hit attack, with Morris’ three-run third inning shot providing a 4-0 lead.

That was all the room that starting pitcher Brandt Sanders (1-1) and four relievers needed, with Cajun golfers second

Sanders throwing three perfect innings and fanning five and the relief quartet scattering three hits and striking out seven against the Tigers (3-16).

The Cajuns (11-6) also committed only one meaningless eighth-inning error, and will take a 10-1 Moore Field record into weekend games against Michigan and Harvard.

But Robichaux was unhappy with one key area. Despite the easy win, Cajun batters struck out 13 times in eight offensive innings.

“No matter who you play, that’s too many,” Robichaux said. “That can happen when you have a zone that wide. Our pitchers didn’t walk anyone and we didn’t have but the one error, and those are what lose games for you. We just have to cut our strikeouts down.”

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

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LOUISIANA — You want big-time collegiate athletics? It doesn’t get much bigger than Michigan’s Wolverines.

You want perhaps the nation’s most prestigious academic institution? Try Harvard.

And, honestly, can you do much better than the Cajun culture?

Mix all those in with the great American sport of baseball, and you’ve got a heck of a three-day series at Tigue Moore Field this weekend.

The homestanding Louisiana squad will welcome Michigan (5-6) and Harvard (2-2) for a sort-of-round robin event beginning tonight when the Ragin’ Cajuns (11-6) meet the Wolverines in a 6:35 p.m. contest.

The Ragin' Cajuns will face the Crimson at 2:05 p.m. Saturday, with Harvard and Michigan playing in a 6 p.m. nightcap and also in a 9:30 a.m. Sunday brunch contest. UL Lafayette wraps up the weekend against Harvard at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

Cajun season and single-game tickets will be valid for both games of the weekend twinbills. In addition, Saturday is the first “ticket redemption” date of the year, with any unused Cajun baseball ticket redeemable for entry into Saturday’s two games.

The names are impressive, but Cajun coach Tony Robichaux knows that more than anything else the weekend games will help prepare his squad for a start to Sun Belt Conference play that is only seven days away.

“We still have a few decisions to make,” Robichaux said, “but I like where this team is right now. If we don’t take any steps back this weekend, I feel like we’ll be on track for next week.”

The Cajuns improved to 10-0 at Moore Field Tuesday with an easy 13-0 win over outmanned Texas Southern, and Robichaux got to take another look at several position players in addition to five pitchers.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[Oldman]

baseball tonight everyone make it out to the ballpark(tigue)for some good baseball.....yes! a long afternoon, but good "stuff," awaits.

[Turbine]

Intrigue at the Tigue

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Cajuns’ bats come alive in 16-5 rout of Wolverines

LOUISIANA La. — For most of the 2004 season, Louisiana’s pitching staff had set a tone in Ragin’ Cajun victories. Friday night, the offense paid back the favor.

The Cajuns erupted for 17 hits and scored multiple runs in five out of eight innings in rolling past Michigan 16-5 in the first game of a weekend round-robin event at Moore Field.

Four runs in the first inning and two each in the second, fourth and sixth made things easy for starter Kevin Ardoin (3-1), who scattered nine hits and fanned seven in six-plus innings of work.

“Tonight was all about run support,” said Ardoin, who won his second straight start. “Sixteen runs makes it a lot easier to pitch.”

Phillip Hawke personally made it easier, with a three-run homer in the first inning and a solo shot in the second to set the tone for the runaway win. Dallas Morris also had a three-run homer among six runs batted in, and Justin Merendino added four hits and scored four runs.

“I like the way we’re swinging the bats right now,” said Cajun coach Tony Robichaux, whose squad had its second-highest run total and hit total of the year against the Wolverines (5-7). “We’ve asked our pitchers so many times to keep the other guys in check until we can get something going, so it was good to see us hit right off the bat.”

Michigan starter Jim Brauer (0-2) was the victim of the Cajuns’ early hitting barrage, allowing seven hits and seven runs, six earned, in two and two-thirds innings. But relievers Paul Hammond and Craig Murray also struggled, teaming to allow nine hits and nine runs.

“That felt wonderful,” said Hawke of the offensive surge. “We talk about our pitchers setting a tempo, but we want to be nine guys scoring the way we did tonight. When we do that, Kevin knows he can go out and challenge hitters.”

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com