CAJUNS EDGED IN LOSS AT SOUTH ALABAMA?May 12, 2002
5/12/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
CAJUNS EDGED IN LOSS AT SOUTH ALABAMA
May 12, 2002
?MOBILE, Ala. – Nationally-ranked South Alabama got a great relief performance and scored four runs in the latter innings to take a 4-3 come-from-behind Sun Belt Conference victory over visiting Louisiana-Lafayette Sunday afternoon at Stanky Field.
?USA reliever Mel Spivey (3-3) hurled 5 2/3 scoreless innings, and Jansen Rayborn's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh provided the eventual game-winning run as the 18th-ranked Jaguars (36-14, 15-4 SBC) overcame an early 3-0 deficit to take command of the SBC race.
?UL Lafayette left fielder Bryan Sneed went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, while Brad Saloom added three hits to lead the Cajuns (34-18, 15-6 SBC). Freshman reliever Kevin Ardoin (2-2) took the loss.
?The win puts USA in prime position to win its 11th SBC title. The Jaguars now have a two-game lead in the loss column over the Cajuns and need only to win their final league series at Western Kentucky next weekend. UL Lafayette, meanwhile, will need at least a home series victory over Arkansas State and some major help from WKU.
?The one-run decision, meanwhile, improved USA to 14-0 all-time against the Cajuns in one-run games.
?Early on, though, it seemed the Cajuns would be the ones in the driver's seat. Sneed got the scoring going in the third with a solo home run off USA starter Caleb Crosby. In the fourth, the Cajuns made it 3-0 after Saloom launched a leadoff homer to left and Sneed added a one-out, run-scoring single.
?Cajun sophomore pitcher Kraig Schambough had a good day in his first career start. The reigning SBC Pitcher of the Week held the USA sticks at bay through the first five innings. But the Jaguars finally got to him in the sixth when Josh Touchstone lined a two-run double to left – setting a new school record in the process with a 22-game hitting streak.
?In the seventh, the Jaguars tied it off Ardoin when Sneed lost Erik Smallwood's fly ball in the sun. Rayborn then followed with a fly ball to right field, which was far enough for Brett Parker to score.
?The Cajuns will play their final mid-week game of the season Tuesday, travelling to Nicholls State for a 6:30 p.m.
--LOUISIANA-LAFAYETTE--
