Coker stole the show for UL in the New Orleans Regional
NEW ORLEANS -- The steal of home may be the signature play of the University of Louisiana's baseball program.
John Coker woke up the echoes of Steven Feehan's swipe of home in the 2000 College World Series by dashing to home in front of a David Bayless strike, sparking the Cajuns to a 9-1 elimination-game victory over Southern on Saturday in an NCAA regional game at Turchin Stadium.
While Feehan stole home in the fifth inning to give UL-Lafayette a 3-0 lead in a 5-4 win over Clemson at the CWS, Coker's score gave UL-Lafayette a 4-0 lead in the second inning, and SU never recovered.
Though Feehan's was the last time the Cajuns had made the play, it's part of their practice regimen.
"We always practice it, day in and day out," ULL coach Tony Robichaux said. "If the situation arises, we're going to do it."
Even so, this situation didn't seem to be the most ideal. With Coker at third, he was in the line of sight of Bayless, a right-hander. And with left-handed hitter Jefferies Tatford in the batter's box to the right of SU catcher Brandon Mason, that gave Mason a clear view all the way up the third-base line to Coker.
"(Third-base) coach (John) Szefc had the guts to put it on, and it worked," said Robichaux, who always has had being aggressive on the basepaths on an even footing with solid pitching as hallmarks of his program.
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By JOSEPH SCHIEFELBEIN
jschiefelbein@theadvocate.com
Advocate sportswriter
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