University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Cajuns Face Alabama In Astros Classic Opening Game
2/13/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
HOUSTON – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team will open play in its second straight appearance at the Minute Maid Park College Classic here Friday at 11 a.m. against Southeastern Conference-power Alabama at Minute Maid Park, home of Major League Baseball's Houston Astros.
The Ragin' Cajuns (2-2) took part in the three-day event last season going 2-1 with wins over Texas Tech and eventual national champion Texas. This season the Cajuns will battle Alabama, Texas A&M (Saturday at 3 p.m.) and Baylor (Sunday at 3 p.m.).
UL Lafayette enters the weekend action on a two-game losing streak and will look to solve its struggles at the plate. The Ragin' Cajuns enter Friday's matchup with Alabama hitting a paltry .211 as a team with just six extra base hits in 128 at bats this young season.
The Cajuns dropped their last outing 11-2 at Northwestern State on Tuesday. The Cajuns did show some signs of life at the plate against NSU as they picked up a season-high nine hits. However, the pitching took a step backwards as the Demons struck for six quick runs in the bottom of the first.
Sophomore first baseman Phillip Hawke leads the offensive charge for the Cajuns. Hawke has appeared in three games and is hitting .545. He has six hits in 11 at bats and has belted two home runs and driven in five runs.
On the mound the Ragin' Cajuns will look to the arm of senior All-American southpaw Andy Gros. Gros is 1-0 on the young season with a 2.25 ERA. He will get the start for Louisiana-Lafayette against Alabama Friday.
Alabama will be opening its 2003 season in Friday's game. The Crimson Tide went 51-15 last season.
Following Friday's game the Cajuns will continue play at the Minute Maid Park Classic Saturday at 3 p.m. against Texas A&M. TAMU handed the Cajuns their lone loss of the classic last season. Then on Sunday, the Ragin' Cajuns will conclude their stay at Minute Maid Park with a 3 p.m. affair against Baylor.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Before the Ragin' Cajuns took batting practice Thursday evening at Minute Maid Park at 8 p.m., the team made a two-hour visit to the Texas Children's Hospital. Ragin' Cajuns baseball pennants, posters and stickers were handed out to all of the children in the facility. The players went from floor-to-floor of the facility in groups of four and visited for a few minutes with the patients meeting and greeting them and offering autographs.
Head coach Tony Robichaux places a special emphasis on community work for his program and makes it a point to take the team to the hospital each time they play in the Houston area. Last season, the Ragin' Cajuns visited Texas Children's hospital after playing Texas Tech in the 2002 Astros College Classic opener.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
