BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

CAJUNS ROLL OVER OU ON THE BACK OF TEMPLET AND HAWKINS...Feb. 26, 2000

LAFAYETTE -- After a 42 minute rain delay, junior right-handed hurler Eric Templet went the distance for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team Saturday en route to the Cajuns' second win in the three-game series against Oklahoma at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

Templet pitched all nine innings for the Cajuns giving up only one Sooner run on six hits, one error and two walks after facing 33 OU hitters. Head coach Tony Robichaux was pleased with the fireballers performance for the day.

"He has done this on every one of his starts," Robichaux said. "Dohmann has done it to, and if you watch us play enough that is kind of what we are built around. They go out and set the tempo and we get on and off the field with double plays.

Will Hawkins came out of his hitting slump today, hitting his first homerun of the season combined with a single and a sacrifice fly to pick up three RBIs on the day. This after hitting two doubles for the Cajuns last night.

Senior right fielder Ryan Gill also crushed a solo homer the opposite way to right field off the Sooner starter Austin Coose who also went the distance for his team. Coose gave up four runs striking out only three Cajuns and walking one.

Robichaux still contends that the Cajuns have still not reached their offensive potential despite the production in the last few games.

"We did a good job today of staying with them, however we are still not where we need to be offensivley," Robichaux said.

Senior Nathan Nelson struck first for the Cajuns in the first inning when he reached on a fielders choice, reaching third on the Sooners shortstop Tommy Whiteman and was eventually plated by a single delivered by Hawkins.

The Cajuns had only one multiple-run inning which came in the third when Gill solo homered to right and Nelson was plated by Hawkins' sacrifice fly to left.

The Sooners only run came in the sixth when Jerome Godsey scored after hitting a double on a triple given to the Sooners by their three-hole hitter Whiteman.

The final game of the series will be held on Sunday when junior southpaw Justin Gabriel will take the mound once again for the Cajuns after throwing eight scoreless innings last week against Southern Mississippi.

"He has got to set the tempo like he did last week," Robichaux said. "This is a better ball club, so it will be a good test for him and a good test for them. Our bullpen is good and healthy. Trey Bullinger is back, Welbourne will be back on one day's rest now and Gordon O'Brien will be back, so we are in good shape."

They will then play their first mid-week game of the year as they travel to Louisiana-Monroe for a single game and will play a single game the following day against Robichaux's former team McNeese State.

OU 000 001 000 1 6 1

UL Lafayette 102 001 00x 4 8 1

Coose and Haggard; Templet and Massiatte. W--Templet (4-0), L--Coose; HR--Gill (1) Hawkins (1)

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

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