Cajuns Pound Cardinals For A More Than Convincing 23-3 Victory

[NewsCopy]

Louisiana-Lafayette scored nine runs in the seventh inning

LOUISIANA La. - Freshman designated hitter Jonathan Lucroy went 3-for-4 with a home run and a career-high six RBI, as the No. 19-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns pounded Lamar for a 23-3 victory here Tuesday night at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

Louisiana-Lafayette (20-4) scored eight runs in the first five innings and doubled its run production with a nine-run sixth inning. The 20-run defeat is the worst for Lamar (16-10) since April 28, 1990, when the Cajuns defeated the Cardinals 26-1 in Lafayette. The Cajuns' 23 runs are the most this season and the most since March 21, 2004, when they won 23-9 over Harvard.

UL Lafayette freshman starting pitcher Buddy Glass (2-0) earned his second win of the season after going 4 1/3 innings. Glass allowed three runs on six hits while striking out four batters. Lamar starting pitcher Allen Harrington (2-2) received the loss, going two innings. Harrington allowed three runs on three hits, while striking out three batters.

The Cajuns scored three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead. Lucroy made just his fourth start of the season and began the Cajuns' offensive assault. With one out, Lucroy took a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence to give the Cajuns an early 1-0 lead. It was Lucroy's second home run of the season. Phillip Hawke then drew a walk. Micah Cockrell followed with a double to right-center field. Hawke later scored on Justin Morgan's sacrifice fly to center field. Justin Merendino then plated Cockrell with an RBI double to left-center field.

The Cajuns added two more runs in the third. Trey Swor replaced Harrington on the mound for the Cardinals. Landry then delivered a 410-foot home run - his third of the season - to straight away center, giving the Cajuns a four-run advantage. After Morris flied out to right field, McCarthy singled to third on a bunt and advanced to second on a throwing error by Lamar's Adrian Cantu. Lucroy then plated McCarthy with a sacrifice fly to right field, resulting in a Cajuns 5-0 lead.

Lamar finally clawed its way on the scoreboard with a Chase Richards opposite field, solo home run to left field, trimming the Cajuns' lead to four runs, 5-1.

With two outs in the fourth inning, Coker tripled to left-center field. Landry followed with a triple in the left field gap, scoring Coker for a 6-1 Cajuns lead.

In the fifth inning, the Cardinals were able to plate two more runs to cut the Cajuns' lead to 6-3. Matt Wilson was hit by a pitch. Jo Jo Haney then singled through the left side, advancing Wilson to second. Hunter Moody then relieved Glass. Moody struck out Cantu. Colin DeLome then singled past a diving Morris, plating Wilson and Haney. Will Henderson struck out looking to end the inning.

Morris extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth. Morris advanced to second on Lucroy's ground out. Hawke was then hit by a pitch. Cockrell followed with an RBI single to center field that plated Morris, giving the Cajuns a 7-3 advantage. Morgan singled through the left side scoring Hawke to increase the Cajuns' lead to 8-3.

The Cajuns set off an offensive barrage in the sixth inning that resulted in the Cajuns taking a 17-3 lead after a nine-run inning. Landry reached on Cantu's second throwing error of the game. Landry then advanced on a balk. McCarthy's bunt single advanced Landry to third. Morris walked to load the bases. Lucroy cleared the bases with a three-RBI double to center field to give the Cajuns an 11-3 lead. After Hawke drew a walk, Cockrell followed with a three-run home run to left field, giving the Cajuns a 14-3 advantage.

Later in the inning, with two outs, Landry again reached on an error - this time by Richards. Merendino then drew a two-out walk and McCarthy followed with a two-RBI double down the left field line giving the Cajuns a 13-run lead, 16-3. Lucroy gave the Cajuns their ninth run of the inning with an RBI single to right-center field.

The Cajuns added another run in the seventh, increasing the lead to 18-3.

In the eighth inning, junior southpaw Jeff Martinez made his first appearance for the Cajuns since May 23, 2003. Martinez retired the Cardinals side in the inning.

The Cajuns didn't quit in the bottom of the eighth inning, after the Cajuns scored five more runs to increase their lead to 23-3. The inning was highlighted by Morgan's three-run home run - the first of his career - to left field.

Morgan and Cockrell each had a home run with five RBI. Merendino, McCarthy and Merendino each had two RBI.

LOUISIANA SI

[Rebel02]

That one was for Billy Tubbs who backed out of a contract he signed to play a home and home with UL basketball!

[CajunProud]

Now that's the kind of ~~~ whippin i'm talking about. It was a complete game in all aspects. With the young hitting and young pitching that we have the program should be set for the next 2 to 3 years. Hopefully, we can continue to recruit both locally and nationally. The next level is within our grasp.

[DaddyCajun]

At one point I was ordering per cell phone a couple of computers from Dell. The rep I was speaking with could hear the croud noise even though I had gone out front of the stadium near the ticket bouthes. He asked what teams I was watching, so I told him Lamar University and University of Louisiana! He said he was in the college town that the University of Texas was located in. He also said he had not heard of the University of Louisiana! I replied then have you heard of "Ragin Cajuns"? Immediately said, "Now I have definitely heard of the Ragin Cajuns"!!!! I went on to tell him that we were playing Texas in football this 2005 season. He asked if I were going or if I had ever been to their stadium? He said it is 12 stories high and very intimidating and loud. Later I emailed him some additional info he needed to complete the order and told him the final score 23-3 and said hopefully this is the same result as Louisiana takes on Texas in football this Fall!!!

DaddyCajun