In an attempt to snap out of a recent slump, UL right fielder Les Smith made a tweak to his batting stance earlier this week. Assistant coaches Anthony Babineaux and Mike Trahan worked with the freshman to specifically keep his front foot down before the pitch reaches the plate.

That change has produced career numbers in the past two games for Smith. On Saturday, he fell just short of playing his way into the school's record books as the Cajuns powered past Arkansas-Little Rock, 13-5, at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

After striking out in his first at-bat, Smith hit a two-run double in the fourth inning, slammed a two-run homer in the sixth and stroked an RBI triple in the seventh.

Smith finished with a career-high five RBIs and ended the day a single short of joining Tommy Bates as the only UL players to hit for the cycle. Bates accomplished the feat against TCU on Feb. 10, 1990.

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Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • March 22, 2009