University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Houston
Cougars Rally Past Cajuns For Series-Opening Win
2/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Friday, Feb. 28, 2003
HOUSTON- Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team opened up a three-game series against the University of Houston Cougars with a 3-2 loss here at Cougar Field. UL Lafayette (5-8) led 2-1 until the seventh inning when the Cougars rallied for two runs for the final margin.
UL Lafayette lead off hitter Jason Wilson opened the game with a triple off Houston starter Danny Zell (4-0), but the Cajuns were not able to get Wilson home as Zell struck out three consecutive Cajun hitters to escape the inning unscathed.
The Cajuns capitalized off of four hits to score two runs off Zell in the top of the second inning. Designated hitter Ryan Core singled down the right field line with one out and third baseman Dallas Morris hit an infield single to put Cajun runners on first and second. Catcher Justin Morgan picked up his first RBI of the season scoring Core from second on a single through the left side of the infield. Following a Jordy Templet strike out, Justin Wilson singled to center field scoring Morris from third to put the Cajuns up 2-0.
Houston scored their first run off Cajun starter Andy Gros (1-2) in the bottom of the third inning when Cougar lead off hitter Gabe Lucas reached on a one-out error by third baseman Dallas Morris. Lucas scored from second on a Brett Cooley single to make it a one run game.
Gros was able to hold the Cougars scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning when he left the game after giving up two consecutive one-out singles to put runners on first and second. Kevin Ardoin came on in relief of Gros with one out and induced Cougar right fielder Matt Farrington into a groundout that advanced the runners to second and third. With two outs Houston third baseman Hyung Cho singled up the middle to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs for the home team.
The final line on Cajun starter Andy Gros (1-2) read 6 1/3 innings pitched, three runs allowed (two earned) on seven hits, no walks and two strikeouts.
Houston starter Danny Zell lasted 7 1/3 innings and held the Cajuns to just two runs on seven hits while striking out a career high 11 batters and walking two. Zell was relieved by closer Ryan Wagner who went on to pick up the save for the Cougars.
The Cajuns rally off Wagner in the bottom of the ninth fell short when Bryan Sneed was thrown out at the plate trying to score the tying run from second on a Justin Morgan single through the right side of the infield.
UL Lafayette falls to 5-8 on the year and will continue the three-game series Saturday at 3 p.m. here at Cougar Field.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
