Tatford propels Ragin' Cajuns to win
He may look the same, but there's a big difference in the Jefferies Tatford of last year's University of Louisiana baseball squad and this year's version.
"He gets it now," said Ragin' Cajun baseball coach Tony Robichaux. "He's figured things out."
What he got Tuesday night was three hits and two runs batted in along with scoring twice, most of that surge coming in the first three innings as the Cajuns took a 6-2 victory over Nicholls State.
Tatford's RBI double in the second put UL in front for good at 2-1, and his third-inning RBI single boosted the margin to 5-1 and allowed starting pitcher Jered Salazar some breathing room in his first start of the season.
"We know with this lineup that we're going to hit all the way through," said the former St. Thomas More standout. "Someone's going to get it done, whether it's at the top of the lineup or at the bottom. That lets our pitchers throw strikes, knowing they can give up a couple of runs because we're going to produce."
The Cajuns improved to 7-0 for the season, marking the first time UL has won its first seven since Robichaux took over the program in 1995. That win came two days after Robichaux posted his 600th career victory, but he again said that such milestones don't carry a lot of importance.
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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com
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