The Book: 2004 Baseball

[NewsCopy]

Beaumont, TX – The Cardinals put up two runs in the bottom of the ninth to take tonight’s game away from a shortened Cajuns bench by a 6-5 final in front of 2113 fans at Vincent-Beck Stadium. The Cajuns (25-16) fall for the second time this season by one run to Lamar (32-11). LU edged UL by a 4-3 score on March 23 at Moore Field.

Jeremy Collins walked Jeremy Grey to start the bottom of the ninth before being lifted for left-handed hurler Brandt Sanders. Sanders issued a walk to Foster putting runners at first and second. Ryan Finan drew a walk to load the bases with one gone in the bottom of the ninth.

Adrian Cantu plated the tying run on an RBI fielder’s choice that plated Grey running from third. The game-winning run came on a base hit down the thirdbase line that scored Finan.


Sanders (1-3) takes the loss for Louisiana after being charged with one run on one hit and walking two of the five batters he faced.

Lamar reliever Jon Hunton (2-1) accepted tonight’s win throwing one and two-thirds innings, surrendering one run on three hits.

Jason Rodriguez drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch in the top of the first. Morris singled to right but the Cajuns couldn’t convert as Rodriguez was thrown out at the plate on the play.

The Cardinals jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Jordan Foster sacrifice fly ball that scored Rocky Craigen who started the bottom half of the opening inning with a double to the wall in center. The base runner took third on a groundout to the pitcher.

Louisiana starter Josh Kohrs settled in to sit the Lamar side in order in the bottom of inning two.

Coker was hit with a pitch with one gone in the third before taking third on a Jason Rodriguez double to right-center. Brad Saloom battled back from a 0-2 count to draw a walk prompting Lamar skipper Jim Gilligan to go to the bullpen, bringing in Josh Harris to field.

A Morris sacrifice fly ball to left-center to score Coker, knotting the game at 1-1.

Harris retired the Cajuns in order in the top of the fourth.

Thad Montgomery came in to pitch in the bottom of the fourth.

Allen reached on an infield throwing error to start the bottom of inning four for Lamar. Allen took second on a groundout to Saloom at second base. A Montgomery offering in the dirt put Allen on third just before Ambort and Brett Winn each drew walks to load the bases.

Montgomery; however, came after Chase Richards striking him out on three pitches to end the inning.

Rodriguez singled and scored on a Saloom triple to the gap in right-center giving the Cajuns a 2-1 lead.

Bubba Olivier came on in relief of Montgomery in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Olivier surrendered a single up the middle to Craigen to start the inning before walking Foster to put runners on first and second. Finan snuck a single through the right side to score Craigen pulling the two teams even at 2-2.

The Cajuns threatened but could not take the lead in the sixth after pinch hitters Rhett Buras and Justin Morgan each singled to lead off the top of the inning. Brandon Montemayor reached base on a fielder’s choice after the Lamar defense caught the Cajuns lead runner on a sacrifice bunt attempt. The Cardinals got out of the jam on a pop foul and a second fielder’s choice.

Franco Cardinale walked the first batter he faced after entering the game in the bottom of the sixth.

A Brett Winn single and a pair of costly Cajuns errors helped both Cardinals base runners to score giving Lamar a 4-2 lead.

Coker led off the seventh with a single through the right side before swiping second base. New Cardinals pitcher Scott Vanderweg entered the game and struck out the side to end the inning.

Jeremy Collins came out of the bullpen to work in relief of Cardinale in the bottom of the seventh.

Collins allowed a single, but recorded two strikeouts en route to sitting the Lamar side without allowing any further runs to score.

The Cajuns evened the score in the eighth after Buras led off the top of the frame with a single to right before Justin Morgan deposited a single into left-center. A throwing error put the two base runners on second and third.

Buras scored on a wild pitch that advanced Morgan to third. Designated hitter Brandon Montemayor singled in the runner to tie the game at four.

John Hunton entered the game to pitch for Lamar after Josh Landry laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Montemayor to second. Coker singled to put runners on the corners. Hunton would get a fly out to left to end the inning holding the score at 4-4.

The Cajuns took over a 5-4 lead on a Buras triple to the wall in right-center after Saloom singled to open the ninth inning. Saloom was bunted over to second on a sacrifice off of Morris’s bat.

The Cajuns will return to Lafayette and prepare for a weekend conference series with the UNO Privateers. Friday’s game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s game is set for 2 p.m. with Sunday’s series finale slated to start at 1 p.m.

LOUISIANA SI

[RaginFan]

What in the HELL is happening to the baseball team?

[DieHard1280]

I know last night they only had a "skeleton" roster. Several players remained in Lafayette to study for finals. This baseball team though is horrid on the road so far this year. They cannot hold a lead against quality opposition. They haven't given me any reason to believe that they have any kind of postseason run in them this year.

GEAUX CAJUNS

[Turbine]

I'll just say this on late game pitching changes. Sometimes "Fresh" is a dish better served early.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Baseball has become more than a passion for Dallas Morris over the last two months.

It’s become his release, his escape.

“Baseball’s much easier now,” the Louisiana junior third baseman said. “You can have fun when you’re playing baseball.”

The game has played a role in giving him perspective, since the lives of he and his family have been in turmoil since the morning of Feb. 21.

Early on that Saturday, younger brother Zach was shot and seriously injured by Lafayette City Police after a four-hour standoff at their Myrtle Place Subdivision home. Police spokesmen said that Zach Morris fired on police from inside the home, and Morris was shot in the upper torso when police entered the home and returned fire when shot at again.

Two days later, two Lafayette men were arrested for allegedly supplying the drug Ecstasy to 19-year-old Zach, and family members said he was under the influence of the drug when the incident occurred.

His medical status is no longer life-and-death, as it was for several days, but he is still paralyzed from the chest down and prospects for regaining mobility are iffy at best.

“He has good weeks and bad weeks,” Dallas said. “He’s starting to show signs of healing, but he’s got some wounds in a tough area to heal. We’re going to take him to a specialist in Houston soon to get a bullet taken out of his spine.”

The third of the four Morris brothers was in San Marcos, Texas, that weekend for a series against Texas State, but he and his parents hurried home that Saturday morning.

“He’s doing better,” Dallas said. “He’s healing, and that’s all we can ask.”

The incident has changed the way that Morris looks at baseball and his role with the Ragin’ Cajun squad — one that currently has him leading the squad in all of the “triple crown” categories.

“It’s given me some perspective,” Morris said. “Baseball’s not the most important thing in my life. That makes the game that much easier. You can sort of relax and have fun, because I always know that I could be in a lot worse situation.

“I’ve been given a gift, the chance to play Division I baseball, and that’s even more of a gift now.”

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — For the first time this season in the Sun Belt Conference, a weekend league baseball series won’t include its full three-game allotment.

For the second day in a row, Louisiana’s contest against New Orleans at Moore Field was rained out, with the two teams scheduled to play a doubleheader today at 1 p.m.

Conference rules do not allow teams to extend weekend series to Monday unless no games are played, and also limit teams to only two games per day. Therefore, the Ragin’ Cajuns (25-16, 9-6 Sun Belt) and the Privateers (21-20, 8-4 Sun Belt) will play a maximum of two games this weekend, a shortage that could affect the final league standings.

Arkansas-Little Rock’s home game against South Alabama was also rained out Saturday, but those teams were able to play Friday and have a doubleheader scheduled today at 11 a.m.

The Cajun and Privateer teams attempted to wait out the rain Saturday, with each club in its dugout for over four hours, but the weather never relented. Cajun coach Tony Robichaux, UNO coach Randy Bush and the umpiring crew finally agreed to end the wait just after 7 p.m., three hours after the scheduled first pitch.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. - The Cajuns and Privateers of UNO split a Sunday doubleheader at “Tigue” Moore Field in Lafayette. Game one went to Louisiana by a 3-2 final in ten innings with UNO picking up game two by a final count of 9-5.

Ten Innings would be needed to decide game one of today’stwin bill. Pitching aces Thomas Diamond and Kevin Ardoin battle back and forth each allowing two runs.

Ardoin went seven and two-thirds innings giving up the two UNO runs on eight scattered hits while striking out seven. The win in the game went to Kraig Schambough. Schambough (6-3) got the last seven outs without allowing a hit.

Thomas Diamond pitched six innings allowing two runs on seven hits. Grant Birely (5-4) got the loss allowing the winning run in the bottom of the tenth.

J.P. Martinez (5-2) got the win in the second game for UNO throwing the full seven innings allowing five runs on nine hits while fanning four.

Jered Salazar (3-4) took the game two loss pitching one inning surrendering four runs on four hits.

Ardoin sat the Privateers in order in the top of the first inning to start game one.

Brad Saloom walked on a full count with two gone in the bottom of the inning. Phillip Hawke singled through the right side to put runners on first and second. Dallas Morris doubled in the two base runners, but was injured rounding the second base bag.

Jay Yaconetti hit a solo homerun in the top of the second cutting the UL lead in half.

A bunt single and a walk put two on for the Cajuns in the bottom of the third, but Diamond would get an infield pop fly and a pair of strikeouts to get out of the inning.

Ardoin struck out the UNO side swinging in the top of the third frame.

A Kody Valverde single tied the game at 2-2 for UNO after Nate Murray doubled to the wall in left-center in the top of the fifth.

The Cajuns loaded the bases with two outs on a fielder’s choice, a Kevin Preau walk and a Micah Cockrell single to left. The home team would strand the three as Diamond induced a pop fly in foul territory to avert the threat.

Josh Landry singled to left off of new Privateers hurler Ryan Meyer with one away in the bottom of the seventh inning. Landry took third on a Saloom single into left, but the UNO reliever would get an infield popup and a groundout to end the inning.

Dana Tosoni singled through the left side in the top of the eighth before Kraig Schambough came out of the bullpen to pitch for Louisiana

A Cockrell single and a John Coker walk put runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the eighth.

Birely came on in relief of Myers and got a routine fly ball out to end the inning.

Devon Bourque drew a lead off walk in the bottom of the tenth inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. Cockrell scored the game-winner with a single through the left side.

Game two started with UNO striking first on leadoff hitter Pietro’s single and stolen base. Pietro moved to third on a throwing error. A groundball out scored the run to put UNO ahead 1-0.

Merendino started the Cajuns half of the opening frame with a single. Merendino stole second and moved to third on an errant throw to second before Hawke drew a walk. UNO starter J.P. Martinez would get a ground ball hit to second to get out of the inning.

UNO pulled in front 5-0 after Louisiana-Lafayette Salazar was touched up for a pair of runs in the top of the second after issuing a walk and allowing two doubles. Schambough, who stayed loose between games came in and allowed a single and hit a batter to load the bases.

A fielder’s choice scored another run giving UNO a 4-0 lead.

New Orleans tacked on one more on a throwing error that allowed a run to score.

The Cajuns answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. A pair of singles from Cockrell and Preau with a Bourque base on balls loaded the bases for Merendino. Merendino slapped a double off the wall in left scoring Cockrell and Preau.

Coker scored Bourque with a sacrifice fly ball deep to center making the score 5-3.

Mike Forbes singled to left before Yaconnetti doubled off the wall in left field. Justin Guy drove in both runs with a ground-rule double upping UNO’s lead to 7-3.

Brandt Sanders entered the game in relief of Schambough. Sanders struck out Murray to end the inning.

Sanders continued to cruise in the top of the fourth getting a strikeout en route to retiring the top of the UNO side in order.

Cockrell and Preau strung together a pair of singles to start the bottom of the fourth. A Devon Bourque single loaded the bases just before Merendino’s check swing fell for a base hit in right, plating Cockrell.

Coker pulled the Cajuns to within two at 7-5 with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Preau.

Forbes homered to left center in the top of the fifth increasing the UNO lead to 8-5.

Pinch hitter Mike Nuckles singled in a run putting the Privateers on top 9-5 in the top of the sixth.

Patrick Green came in to work in the sixth and picked off a runner for the final out of that frame. Green worked efficiently in the seventh sitting the UNO side in order.

The Privateers were able to hold on to the four-run lead to claim game two 9-5.

Louisiana will prepare to face the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions Wednesday night at Moore Field. Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

LOUISIANA SI

[CAJUNJUDO]

After this past weekend it shows how important home field is in baseball too.

UL sweeps NMSU
FIU sweeps UL
NMSU sweeps FIU

Each home team swept the series.

Host of Sun Belt Baseball Tournament:
2004: USA
2005: FIU
2006: WKU

[RaisingCajun08]

From what I have been hearing we are supposed to be playing this weekend. Some games have been rescheduled from early in the season. Can someone please confirm dates, time, team, & tickets we should be using to get into the game?

[Turbine]

Originally posted by RaginCajun08
From what I have been hearing we are supposed to be playing this weekend. Some games have been rescheduled from early in the season. Can someone please confirm dates, time, team, & tickets we should be using to get into the game?

I called the office, there is no room to reschedule games this week because a Monday and Tuesday game are already on tap for next week.

By Tuesday, they will already be playing 4 games in 4 days, the last on the road.

[Oldman]

baseball games this week at the tique:

5-5 wed. 6:30 s'eastern in town

5-8,9, sat. 6:30, sun. 1pm n'western in town

5-10 mon. 6:30, nicholls in town

[Oldman]

turbine, we play tomorrow nite wednesday the 5th.