University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Texas State
Cajuns Will Have To Wait One More Day To Open 2003 Campaign
2/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LAFAYETTE- Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team will open the 2003 season at home this Friday with the first of a three game series against the Southwest Texas State Bobcats starting at 6:35 p.m.
Friday's game will be the first of 13 games this season against Southland conference schools. UL Lafayette is 4-1 all-time in games against the Bobcats and this will be the first meeting between the schools since an 8-3 Cajun victory on March 3, 1990.
The Cajuns will go with their senior staff ace left-hander Andy Gros (11-4, 2.59 ERA in '02) in the season opener. The Bobcats will counter with their own ace and third team Preseason All-American right-handed pitcher Bobby Sawicki (11-2, 3.57 ERA in '02). The junior right-handed Sawicki started for the Bobcats in their season opener last weekend against Texas Pan-American and allowed five runs, four earned in only 2 1/3 innings.
Southwest Texas State (1-1) rebounded from a season opening lose to Texas Pan-American to upset #10 ranked Baylor 9-5 earlier this week and should prove to be a good opening test for the Cajuns.
The Bobcats will try to break the Cajuns season opening home win streak of ten games dating back to 1988. UL Lafayette is 19-6 in home openers at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
This will be the first game back in action for the Cajuns since going 39-23 and advancing to the NCAA Regional Finals in the 2002 season.
Offensively, the Cajuns will be led by returning All-Conference junior outfielder Corey Coles (.368, 45 RBI in '02), and senior outfielder Bryan Sneed (.300, 44 RBI in '02).
On the mound for the rest of the series fans will get to see the anticipated Cajun debuts for the left-handed Houston transfer Austin Faught and Breaux Bridge, La., native right-hander Jered Salazar. The duo should start on the weekend for UL Lafayette and will be tested by a Southwest Texas team that combined for a .310 batting average in 2002.
Friday
night's season home opener will be the first of eight
Friday night home games to be televised this season live
on Lafayette Cable Channel 17 (KLAF).
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
