Robichaux gives nod to Salazar in opener

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MIAMI - Jered Salazar may be a surprise opening-game starter for the University of Louisiana baseball team at the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Wednesday, but to Ragin' Cajun coach Tony Robichaux it makes perfect sense.

Robichaux, whose team arrived here late Monday to prepare for its scheduled 5:30 p.m. (CDT) Wednesday opener against Western Kentucky, tabbed the senior right-hander from Breaux Bridge and Teurlings Catholic to start against the Hilltoppers.

"We felt going into last weekend that Jered had been throwing well and had good rhythm, and that's why we didn't start him Sunday against Western," Robichaux said. "We felt we needed a fresh arm going into the first game this week, and nobody else could safely start for us."

The decision was made easier last Friday, when the opener of the regular season-ending series at WKU was postponed until Saturday because of travel problems with the umpiring crew. Regular Friday and Saturday starters Kevin Ardoin and Austin Faught pitched in Saturday's twinbill, where a split insured the Cajuns (45-15, 16-8) of the Sun Belt title.

"Once they moved the first game back, we knew neither Ardoin or Faught would have enough rest," Robichaux said. "But Jered's a senior and we wanted to put it in his hands. He wanted an inning Saturday and we got that for him."

Salazar (6-1, 2.70) has won his last four starts, all of them mid-week non-conference games against Northwestern State, McNeese State, Sam Houston State and Southeastern La. The last of those was a seven-inning, three-hit shutout performance against SLU, and he allowed only five earned runs in the other three starts combined.

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Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[JMV JustMyView]

Good decision on robe's part.