University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Lamar
Preau Sparks Offense As Cajuns Top Lamar
4/1/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Tuesday, April 1, 2003
BEAUMONT, Texas - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team takes a 7-4 win here at Vincent-Beck Stadium against the Lamar Cardinals. The Cajuns end a four game losing streak here in Beaumont and have now won four of their last five games to improve to 11-21 on the season.
UL Lafayette junior left-hander Austin Faught made the start against Lamar left-hander Josh Gray. Faught was on top of his game early as he held the Cardinals scoreless through the first five innings in route to the win.
The Cajuns took an early one run lead when catcher Ryan Core hit a one-out double and scored on a two-out RBI single by right fielder Kevin Preau in the second inning.
UL Lafayette extended the lead to 4-0 in the third inning after opening the inning with three consecutive bunts. Jason Wilson reached first after bunting to open the inning on an error by the Lamar first baseman. Third baseman Dallas Morris laid down a perfect bunt single to give the Cajuns runners on first and second with no outs. Corey Coles bunted for the third consecutive time and reached safely on another Lamar fielding error. Wilson came around from second to score the second run of the game on the play. Lamar pitcher Josh Gray struck out the next two Cajun batters before Ryan Core drove home two runs for UL Lafayette with his second hit of the night.
Louisiana-Lafayette added another run in the fourth inning to take a 5-0 lead. Kevin Preau came around to score the fifth run of the game on a wild pitch from Gray after reaching base earlier in the inning on a single.
Lamar scored their first run of the game against Faught in the bottom half of the sixth inning when Cardinal shortstop Jeremy Gray hit a solo-shot over the left field wall to cut UL Lafayette's lead to 5-1.
The Cardinals rallied for two more runs in the seventh inning. Lamar catcher Matt Gowan drove in one run on a single to left field. Faught left the game with one out in the inning and runners on first and second. Outfielder John Allen singled home another Cardinal run to cut the lead to 5-3 against Cajun reliever Thad Montgomery.
UL Lafayette added two more runs in the top of the eighth inning. Kevin Preau hit a RBI triple to score Rhett Buras from second base. Preau came around to score from third on a wild pitch to make the score 7-3.
The Cardinals added one run in the eighth against Montgomery and loaded the bases in the ninth inning before Cajun reliever Jeff Martinez forced Lamar's leading hitter Jordan Foster into a game-inning fly out to left field.
Faught (2-2) picked up the win for the Cajuns after throwing 6 1/3 innings and allowing just three runs (two earned) on four hits. Martinez picked up his first save of the season. Gray suffered the loss for the Cardinals after giving up five runs (one earned) on seven hits through four innings.
Junior outfielder Kevin Preau highlighted the Cajun offense by going 3 for 4 on the night with two runs scored and two RBI.
UL Lafayette will next travel to Las Cruces, N.M. for a three-game Sun Belt series against the New Mexico State Aggies starting Friday night at 8 p.m. (CST). The Cajuns stand tied for third in the conference race at 3-3, two games back of first place Arkansas State.
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