The Book: 2004 Baseball

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana’s baseball squad doesn’t play a Sun Belt Conference series this weekend, and it’s probably just as well.

The Ragin’ Cajuns could use the time to heal, especially in the infield.

The Cajuns (26-17) will be without half of its normal infield when they host Southeastern Louisiana tonight at 6:30 p.m. at Moore Field, and neither Justin Bourque nor Dallas Morris will be back in action anytime soon.

Bourque is battling a staph infection and will miss tonight’s game and all of the four non-conference games the Cajuns have scheduled between Saturday and Tuesday. The Cajuns’ designated hitter and primary infield backup is expected to return when UL Lafayette gets back to Sun Belt wars May 14-16 against Arkansas State in the home finales.

Morris, though, is another story. The Cajuns’ sparkplug third baseman went down hard making the turn at second base on a two-run double Sunday against New Orleans, and suffered a hairline fracture of his right ankle. He’ll be out of action a minimum of four weeks and is doubtful for the Sun Belt Tournament May 26-29 in Mobile, Ala.

“It’s going to be hard for him to get back,” said Cajun coach Tony Robichaux, “but if anyone can do it it’s him. He has such mental toughness that he’s got a chance to be back. Justin’s is just a matter of time to let him heal up, and he’s going to be OK.”

Add those to a preseason wrist injury that ended highly-touted transfer Jameson Parker’s season before it ever began, and it makes it even more surprising that the Cajuns lead the Sun Belt in team fielding and have nine fewer errors (48) than any other team in the league.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[Turbine]

New basketball coach Glynn Cyprien threw out the first pitch, Louisiana gets 3 home runs, as Louisiana defeats Southeastern 10-0

[RedBug58]

OK, now did that ball bounce over the fence or not? I wasn't there, but the people I talk to say that we got away with one.

[Oldman]

the ball did bounce over the fense! but it wouldn't have mattered. if they had called it back to a double, preau came up next and hit a double that would have scored two more runs, 4-0.

[Cajun Express]

Originally posted by oldman
the ball did bounce over the fense! but it wouldn't have mattered. if they had called it back to a double, preau came up next and hit a double that would have scored two more runs, 4-0.

Oldman you know better than that. Once the bases cleared the whole dynamics changed. He may have struck out, hit a homer, grouded out, or hit the double, or any number of other things.

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Ryan Core looks at the Louisiana baseball statistics sheet, and he’s still not happy with what he sees.

That sheet lists the Ragin’ Cajun senior catcher with a .248 batting average, a number that ranks him near the bottom of the Cajun regulars and a number that he knows should be better.

But what Core also knows is from where he came.

Seven weeks ago, the returning All-Sun Belt Conference selection was in a woeful season-opening slump. Core had only six hits in his first 46 at-bats and was hitting .130 just prior to the start of Sun Belt play.

“There’s nothing more frustrating than to start like I did,” Core said. “And I’m not one to get frustrated. I didn’t know what had happened. But I knew I could swing the bat, and I just kept working.”

It wasn’t the first time the Folsom native had sung the blues to start a season, with a slow start in his first Cajun campaign in 2003. But that could have been expected, since he was new to the program and had the added duties that coach Tony Robichaux puts on his catchers to work with the pitching staff.

This year was more of a mystery.

“Some people are just late starters,” Robichaux said, “and Ryan pushes himself so hard that it was tough on him. We really needed him, and he knew that, too.”

It didn’t happen overnight, and there was no dramatic turnaround. But, slowly, the hitting stroke started coming back. So did the power that he showed in spurts late in the 2003 season.

Since that opening struggle, he’s hit at a .313 clip (26-of-83) while totaling eight home runs and 26 RBI, both figures already higher than his season total of last year.

And, in the Cajuns’ last 11 games, he’s hitting .375.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — It may not be a Sun Belt Conference weekend, but that doesn’t mean that it won’t be a busy one for Louisiana’s baseball team.

In fact, instead of the normal three-game league series that the Ragin’ Cajuns play against their Sun Belt brethren, the Cajuns will play four games in four days in a non-conference streak that begins tonight against Northwestern State.

The Cajuns (27-17) meet the Demons (25-17) at 6:30 p.m. at Moore Field and will follow that with a 1 p.m. Sunday contest. They will then welcome Nicholls State Monday at 6:30 p.m. before traveling to Natchitoches on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. contest.

The three home games tonight through Monday are not on the Cajuns’ season-opening schedule. They were added after Louisiana had its season-opening home series against Sam Houston State totally washed out.

Tickets from those games will be honored for the weekend games, and season ticket holders should bring those tickets for admission.

The Cajuns and the Demons have already met once this season at Moore Field, with UL Lafayette rallying from a 4-0 deficit in the final five innings and taking a 5-4 win on Josh Landry’s 11th-inning RBI single.

Dallas Morris had four hits in that game including a two-run homer in the sixth inning, but he won’t be available tonight and likely for the remainder of the season with an ankle and lower leg injury suffered in last weekend’s New Orleans series. Also still out is Justin Bourque, who continues to recover from a staph infection.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

LOUISIANA La. — Rhett Buras had been waiting a while for a chance to make a difference for Louisiana’s baseball team.

His chance came just before 8 p.m. Saturday night, and the senior made the most of it.

His bases-clearing double in the right centerfield gap was the game-breaker the Ragin’ Cajuns needed, and gave a suddenly-scintillating pitching staff all the help it needed in a 4-0 win over Northwestern State.

Buras came to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs, and Brad Saloom had just coaxed a walk from Demon ace Clayton Turner to load the bases.

“I was actually sitting for a fast ball,” said Buras, “and he gave me a fast ball away. It was a good pitch to hit.”

Buras laced it between the Demon outfielders, scoring Devon Bourque, Justin Merendino and Saloom to break open what at the time was a 1-0 game.

“He got a big lick,” said Cajun coach Tony Robichaux. “Rhett’s paid his dues ... he’s paid the price. And he’s been swinging the bat well ever since the Lamar game.”

The Cajuns improved to 28-17 heading into the second game of their series with the Demons (25-18) today at 1 p.m. The game, like Saturday’s contest, is an addition to the original schedule because of early-season rainouts, and UL Lafayette season ticket holders can use ticket #3 for admission.

The Demons nearly got to Cajun starter Kevin Ardoin (5-2) in the top of the first inning, when Tigger Lyles singled and Brandon Morgan and Bobby Barbier drew bases on balls with one out. But Ardoin fanned Hunter Thoms and forced a fly ball from Rusty Jones to get out of the jam.

“That was a big play early,” said Demon coach Mitch Gaspard. “If we can get even one run there with Turner on the mound, we’re in decent shape. But the strikeout and the popup were big plays. Ardoin threw his slider for strikes all night.”

Ardoin scattered six hits and fanned six, not walking another batter after the first, and Kraig Schambough threw the final three innings for his third save. He allowed only one single and one walk in the final three frames.

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com

[NewsCopy]

NSU   Tigue Moore Field   Louisiana 0   When Brad Saloom reached on a fielder’s choice in the first it proved to be the game winner as Lousiaia improves to 23-4 at home   4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9         R H E Demons 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0         0 7 0 Ragin' Cajuns 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 X         4 5 1

[Turbine]

I heard something on national ESPN radio that has me riled.

They were complaining about the long NBA first round, but what got my attention was a statement on how the NBA wasn't far from a 4th of July final

Well for 2 or 3 years now I have been suggesting that college baseball move back the season so the World Series finals could be held during the 4th of July holiday. Now it is imperative.

Nothing would be accepted by the masses better than some NCAA championship baseball on the 4th of July. The whole of the USA would instantly -or soon thereafter- become college baseball fans. If and when they do it, acceptance will be 100%. . .

. . . Unless the NBA does it first.

[NewsCopy]

NSU   Tigue Moore Field   Louisiana 1   Ian Pecoraro dominated for Louisiana in a complete game outing, allowing only one run on 3 hits.   6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9         R H E Demons 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0         1 3 0 Ragin' Cajuns 0 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 X         6 11 0

LOUISIANA La. - Ian Pecoraro dominated the game from the mound Sunday afternoon as the Ragin’ Cajuns downed the Northwestern State Demons by a 6-1 final Sunday afternoon at Moore Field. Louisiana (29-17) got run support in part from Jason Rodriguez who smacked a three-run shot in the third as Pecoraro tore through the Demons’ lineup.

Today’s winner, Pecoraro, pitched the complete game without allowing an earned run. Pecoraro (4-2) gave up a stingy three hits while showing six NSU batters a seat with strikeouts.

The loss went to Blake Jones of NSU who was touched up for four runs on eight hits while walking two Cajuns.

Pecoraro hit Rusty Jones with a pitch. Jones took third on a Jeff Martin single through the right side before the Cajuns hurler came back to strikeout the next batter and get a routine fly out to center to end the top of the second inning.

Rhett Buras scored on a Micah Cockrell sacrifice fly ball giving the Cajuns the first run of the afternoon. Buras doubled down the third base line to open the bottom of the second just before Josh Landry singled to put base runners on the corners.

Jason Rodriguez homered to right driving in Devon Bourque who singled to center and Justin Merendino who doubled to left field. Rodriguez’s third dinger of the season gave Louisiana-Lafayette a 4-0 lead in the third.

Adam Massiatte opened the fourth inning with a single up the middle. John Coker was hit with a pitch to put runners on first and second. Devon Bourque pushed a perfect bunt in the direction of third base to advance the runners, but Blake Jones battled back to retire the next two Cajuns batters to avert further run damage.

Pecoraro continued in his control of the Demons in the sixth, getting the top of the NSU lineup in order.

Cockrell doubled to left to start the bottom of the sixth before Massiatte drew a free pass to put runners at first and second. Coker reached on a fielder’s choice putting runners on the corners.

Devon Bourque drove in Cockrell on a single to right.

Bobby Barbier dropped a single into left-center to open the seventh frame before Jeff Martin was issued a walk to put runners on first and second. Both base runners advanced on a passed ball. Barbier scored on a sacrifice fly ball to left-center pulling the Demons to within four at 5-1.

Justin Merendino hit a solo shot in the bottom of inning seven giving UL Lafayette a 6-1 lead.

Pecoraro stayed around to finish what he started allowing only a pair of walks in the last three innings to put away the Demons.

The Cajuns will play the Colonels of Nicholls State tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. at Moore Field in the final make-up game of the set. Louisiana-Lafayette will then travel to Natchitoches Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. showdown with Northwestern State.

LOUISIANA SI

[NewsCopy]

Pecoraro states case for role as key starter for Ragin’ Cajuns.

LOUISIANA La. — UL baseball coach Tony Robichaux put out a call for starting pitching heading down the Sun Belt Conference stretch.

If Sunday’s contest against Northwestern State is any indication, Ian Pecoraro has punched his ticket for one of those roles.

The Plano, Texas, junior twirled a masterpiece at the Demons, giving up three singles and no earned runs in his first-ever complete game and guiding the Cajuns to a 6-1 Mother’s Day victory.

“I had something to prove, mostly to myself,” said Pecoraro after his 103-pitch performance that included 14 fly-ball outs. “I hadn’t been throwing very well, so today felt like I’m getting back in a groove.”

Pecoraro (4-2) retired the Demons (25-19) in order in five out of nine innings, and only once did Northwestern get a leadoff runner on base.

That came in the seventh when Bobby Barbier singled, and a walk, a passed ball and Hunter Thoms’ sacrifice fly scored the visitors’ only run of the weekend.

“It seemed like he always had one out to start the inning,” Robichaux said. “They were swinging at a lot of first pitches, and if a team’s doing that you’ve got a good chance to get outs if you can locate well. He was doing that, and because of that he had one out in his pocket.”

“That’s a bonus,” Pecoraro said of his first-batter success. “When you can do that, you can get out of a lot of innings, and I had great support from my teammates.”

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@lafayette.gannett.com