University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
South Alabama
Jaguars Defeat Cajuns 7-1 in Series Opener
5/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Friday, May 16, 2003
LAFAYETTE - Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns baseball team falls 7-1 to the South Alabama Jaguars here at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field in the first of a three game Sun Belt series. The Jaguars clinched at least a share of the Sun Belt regular season title with the win. UL Lafayette (27-27) drops to 14-8 in the Sun Belt, while South Alabama (38-14) goes to 16-6 in the conference and holds a two game lead over the Cajuns with two games remaining.
Louisiana-Lafayette started sophomore right-hander Kevin Ardoin against South Alabama right-hander Clark Girardeau. Ardoin gave up four runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
UL Lafayette struck first in the opening inning after sophomore third baseman Dallas Morris led off with a triple to right center field. Morris scored the first and only Cajun run of the game when Corey Coles grounded out to second base to give the Cajuns a 1-0 lead.
South Alabama responded with three consecutive singles off Ardoin to open the second inning. Jaguar first baseman Adam Lind hit a RBI single to right field that scored Ryan Mulhern from second with the tying run. Tim Land hit a sacrifice fly to right field to put South Alabama in front 2-1.
The Jaguars scored three runs in the fifth inning to take a 5-1 lead and knocked Cajun starter Kevin Ardoin out of the game with one out in the inning and the bases loaded. USA outfielder Ryan Mulhern greeted reliever Kraig Schambough with a bases loaded double to right field that scored two more runs. Second baseman Josh Touchstone drove in the third Jaguar run of the inning with a double to left field.
Girardeau held the Cajun bats scoreless on just two hits the rest of the game to record his first complete game of the year.
The Jags added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings to take a 7-1 lead. South Alabama left fielder Ryan Mulhern led the Jaguars offensively after going 3 for 5 with three runs scored, three RBI's, and a homerun.
Ardoin (4-5) suffers the loss for UL Lafayette, while Girardeau (5-2) picks up the win after holding the Cajuns to just one run on three hits for the complete game. Girardeau struck out six and walked three on the win.
UL Lafayette must now win both remaining games against South Alabama to earn a share of the Sun Belt title. Junior right-hander Jordy Templet (6-4, 3.49 ERA) will get the start for the Cajuns against Jaguar left-hander Frank Elia (3-1, 4.47 ERA) for Saturday's scheduled 2 p.m. start.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
