BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

GILL, POCHE POWER CAJUNS TO SWEEP OF SOONERS...Feb. 27, 2000

LAFAYETTE -- Senior Ryan Gill's solo homer in the fourth inning and sophomore Jess Poche's two-run homer in the fifth boosted the 25th ranked Cajuns to a 3-2 win and a series sweep over Oklahoma.

"He threw a good ball game, he had an excellent slider," head coach Tony Robichaux said about Oklahoma starter Austin Mix. "We knew that we were only going to get one or two fastballs in an at bat. Jess Poche did something with his and Ryan Gill did something with his, and that was enough for the pitching staff to carry down the stretch."

Gill crushed the pitch delivered by Mix off of the scoreboard in left, and Poche hit a screaming line drive off Mix, which cleared the wall in left, to score Will Hawkins who reached base on a single one at bat prior to Poche.

Junior starter Justin Gabriel extended his scoreless streak to 16 consecutive innings until he allowed one run in the ninth inning after giving up a double to Rick Park who eventually scored on a double off closer Aaron Welbourne by Zach Leise.

"He threw really well," Robichaux said. "He got to the 125 mark and he was pitching on feel rather than velocity. I let him start the ninth and he got a ball up, and we had Welbourne ready to come in. We were going to try to close with Welbourne on Friday and give him one day rest and come back with him today, because that is what he has done all of his life. That is what we wanted to do today when the first guy got on in the ninth."

The Cajuns held a lead of 3-0 until the ninth inning, but the Sooners mounted a comeback in the ninth, which was struck down by Welbourne. It was his fourth save of the season even though he had a somewhat shaky outing, giving up two hits and allowing Gabriel's earned run, Park, and one of his own.

"This is a new program for him," Robichaux said about the sidearm closer. "I think that he will settle in because he is fine in practice. He cuts us up from Nathan Nelson to all the good hitters we have, we have no chance on him. I know his stuff is good. I just think that he needs to get ahead early so he can use that slider from underneath."

Welbourne and Gabriel have become the Lassen Link for the Cajuns this season, both transferring to UL Lafayette from Lassen Junior College in Susanville, Calif. This is the third consecutive year that Gabriel has been handing the ball to his reliever Welbourne.

The Cajuns will travel to Louisiana-Monroe on Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. game and will return home to face in-state rival McNeese on Wednesday.

OU 000 000 002 2 9 2

UL Lafayette 000 120 00x 3 3 1

Fix, Bajenaru (8) and Witcher and Hooper; Gabriel, Welbourne (9) and Massiatte. W--Gabriel (2-0). L--Mix (2-1). Sv.--Welbourne (4). HR--Gill (2) and Poche (2).

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

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