Ragin' Cajuns look to live up to #1 seeding

[Turbine]

MIAMI - The past week wasn't a very good one for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun baseball team.

Over the last few years, the opening games of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament haven't been a bed of roses, either.

The goal for the Cajuns, and specifically for Jered Salazar, is to wipe away all that heartache beginning today.

Head coach Tony Robichaux borrowed a phrase from noted Louisiana-based chef Emeril Lagasse, looking to bring some South Louisiana seasoning to a bastion of Cuban cuisine. His goal is for his team to kick it up a notch.

They'll start finding out of those goals are reachable tonight when the top-seeded Cajuns (45-15) open play in the league tournament hosted by Florida International at University Park Field. UL will face eighth-seeded Western Kentucky (20-35) in the opening round of the double-elimination meet in a game scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (CDT).

The UL-WKU game is the finale of a four-game day that includes Middle Tennessee facing New Mexico State at 8:30 a.m., South Alabama against New Orleans at 11:30 a.m. and host FIU meeting Arkansas State at 2:30 p.m. Those times assume all games will last two hours and 20 minutes or less.

Time won't be a factor, except the short time since the Cajuns had their worst weekend of the Sun Belt season. UL dropped two of three at Western Kentucky Saturday and Sunday, their only league series loss of the year, and now they'll turn around and face those same Hilltoppers in their tournament opener.

"We left the weekend pretty ticked," said Salazar, the senior right-hander from Breaux Bridge who Robichaux has tabbed to throw the opener. "They're the only team that did that to us, so we're pretty hungry to even up the score."

The rest of the story

Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com

[JMV JustMyView]

It all starts tonight against WKU--these guys left a sour taste in our mouths and payback will be a b-tch...

[DaddyCajun]

Cajuns need to get off their b**t$ and start playing some ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To lose 3 out of 4 to this horrible excuse of a team are trailing 9-3 as of now. Pitching can not close out innings with TWO outs. Fielders not hustling for balls, thinking, oh yeh we are bad, we are bad, and comitting 3 errors already!!!!!!!!!! NINE(9) pop ups thus far for the Cajuns and this type of play has been typical since the Nichols game. I do not get upset much, but this is pitiful, sorry!!!

DaddyCajun!

ps COME ON, CAJUNS, LETS DO IT, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT EVER SAY NEVER!!!!!!!!!

[GoneGolfin]

Cajuns need to get off their b**t$ and start playing some ball!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To lose 3 out of 4 to this horrible excuse of a team are trailing 9-3 as of now. Pitching can not close out innings with TWO outs. Fielders not hustling for balls, thinking, oh yeh we are bad, we are bad, and comitting 3 errors already!!!!!!!!!! NINE(9) pop ups thus far for the Cajuns and this type of play has been typical since the Nichols game. I do not get upset much, but this is pitiful, sorry!!!

DaddyCajun!

ps COME ON, CAJUNS, LETS DO IT, BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DO NOT EVER SAY NEVER!!!!!!!!!

Get it out DaddyCajun. I echo your sentiments.

Brian

[GoneGolfin]

Get it out DaddyCajun. I echo your sentiments.

Brian

Anyone think Robe might pack the bus tonight and threaten to drive home?

Brian

[DaddyCajun]

Robe needs to chew sooooooooo much butttttt that the umps think about throwing him out!! Fussing that is at the Cajun Players!!!!!!! OK.?!? O?K?! breathe in, breathe out, focus, focusssssss!!!! sighhhhhhh sighhhhhhh......I'm alright for now!!


DaddyCajun!!!

[JMV JustMyView]

Robe needs to chew sooooooooo much butttttt that the umps think about throwing him out!! Fussing that is at the Cajun Players!!!!!!! OK.?!? O?K?! breathe in, breathe out, focus, focusssssss!!!! sighhhhhhh sighhhhhhh......I'm alright for now!!


DaddyCajun!!!

I'M NOT ALRIGHT HAWKE HAS TO STEP UP.

[GoneGolfin]

I'M NOT ALRIGHT HAWKE HAS TO STEP UP.

If the Cajuns hit one more popup, I am turning this thing off.

Brian

[Kernel]

If the Cajuns hit one more popup, I am turning this thing off.

When this team gets handled by a pitcher, it always seems that they hit fly ball after fly ball. This loss is tough to take. All of the accomplishments of a great season come down to this. The Cajuns are playing, by far, their worst ball of the season at the worst time. If they don't get their heads out of their a**es, then it could be 2 and cue in regionals and a wasted season.

Figure it out and GEAUX CAJUNS!

[CajunProud]

Come now fellas. It is just one game. I am just as frustrated as you are, but remember how bad the 2000 team finished the regular season?

One positive note is that Pecoraro pitched very well. Yes, I know he gave up 3 runs, but he struck out a lot of people, and except for the tripple, they did not hit the ball hard off of him. I thought it was pretty unfair of Coch to throw him to the wolves with 2 on and nobody out. Hopefully he will be used more from here on out. Coach will have them ready for the regionals.

(It is a sad day on this site when I am the positive one )

[GoneGolfin]

Come now fellas. It is just one game. I am just as frustrated as you are, but remember how bad the 2000 team finished the regular season?

Similar scenario. Except the Cajuns lost to teams that were much better in 2000 down that stretch. New Orleans was an at-large squad to the NCAA Tournament and conference champion. The opening conference tournament loss to Western Kentucky that year was against a much stronger Hilltopper team than the 2005 edition. So, there are some real differences. But that said, baseball teams can turn around at a moment's notice.

One positive note is that Pecoraro pitched very well. Yes, I know he gave up 3 runs, but he struck out a lot of people, and except for the tripple, they did not hit the ball hard off of him. I thought it was pretty unfair of Coch to throw him to the wolves with 2 on and nobody out. Hopefully he will be used more from here on out. Coach will have them ready for the regionals.

Threw him to the wolves? This is not an uncommon situation for a relief pitcher. He needs to be able to handle this situation.

I disagree that Pecoraro pitched *very well*. He was brought on in the sixth to minimize damage and he did not do that. After the gift sacrifice out (bunt) with runners on first and second, Pecoraro walked a hitter and then gave up a single. You need to get outs in that situation, even if the runner from third scores.

He then yielded two more hits and a run in the seventh. At that point, the game was essentially out of reach at 10-4. Now, Pecoraro did pitch well in the eighth and ninth innings. But the game was essentially decided at that point. The pressure is not the same.

I think he is about the fourth or fifth option out of the bullpen right now and that is where he should be. I was glad to see Robichaux use Pecoraro in last night's situation than use Montgomery, Sanders, or Schambough. We will need those guys in the coming games if the Cajuns are too initiate a rally.

Brian