Cajuns Come Up Short Against McNeese

Sunday, March 9

MOORE FIELD

N/A

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

McNeese State

3/9/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Sunday, March 9, 2003

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LAFAYETTE - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team loses a heartbreaker in the final game of the 2003 Mardi Gras Ball here at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field to the McNeese State Cowboys. The Cowboys (14-6) won 4-3 in the tenth inning on a game winning single by third baseman Josh Fontenot. UL Lafayette has now lost seven straight games and drops to 5-14 overall on the season.

UL Lafayette received a solid outing from starting pitcher Jordy Templet who pitched 6 1/3 innings in the no decision. Templet allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits, while striking out eight and walking two batters.

McNeese State jumped out to a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the sixth inning. The Cowboys added one run in each the second, fourth, and sixth innings off Templet.

The Cajuns tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning on a three-run homerun by UL Lafayette third baseman Matt Levering off McNeese State starter John Doerfler. The homerun was Levering's first as a Cajun and scored the only Cajun runs of the night. Doerfler was replaced on the mound by Craig Martel in the sixth inning after throwing 5 2/3 innings and allowing three runs on six hits for the Cowboys.

UL Lafayette loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the eighth inning, but McNeese State reliever Josh Hansen came on and struck out two consecutive Cajun batters to keep the game tied for the Cowboys going into the ninth inning.

Cajun closer Kevin Ardoin came on in relief of Austin Faught to open the eighth inning and finished the game on the mound for Louisiana-Lafayette.

The score remained tied until the top of the tenth inning when the Cowboys opened the inning with consecutive one out singles from Lance Dawkins and Tim Lemke. Third Baseman Josh Fontenot drove in the go ahead run against Ardoin scoring Dawkins from third. Hansen shut down the Cajuns in the bottom of the inning to give McNeese State the 4-3 win.

Ardoin (0-1) suffered his first loss of the year after throwing 3 innings and allowing one run on four hits while striking out four batters. Josh Hansen (1-0) picked up the win for the Cowboys after holding the Cajuns hitless in the final 2 2/3 innings.

Center fielder Jason Wilson and third baseman Matt Levering made the All-Tournament team for UL Lafayette. Wilson batted six for ten on the weekend with two homeruns. McNeese State finishes the Mardi Gras Ball 3-0 and finishes with the best overall record for the tournament.

UL Lafayette falls to 5-14 on the season and will look to end the seven game skid against the Nicholls State Colonels this Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. at Ray Didier Field in Thibodaux, La.