University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
UALR
Coles Helps Cajuns Eliminate Trojans 6-1
5/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Friday, May 23, 2003
Updated SBC Tournament Bracket & Results
LAFAYETTE -Junior outfielder Corey Coles knocked in two runs in the top of the eighth inning and later came on for the save opportunity, leading Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns to a 6-1 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock in the Dodge Sun Belt Conference Tournament Friday morning at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field. The Cajuns will take on Middle Tennessee in game 11, which will begin at approximately 4:30 p.m. today.
Louisiana-Lafayette improved to 30-29, while the Trojans finish the season 30-26. Sophomore Kevin Ardoin got the win, improving to 5-5. Ardoin worked seven-plus innings, allowing one run on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts. The senior worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh to give the Cajuns a chance to take the lead in the eighth. Coles came on in the eighth after a leadoff walk by Ardoin. Coles received his fourth save of the season.
Travis Trammell (3-3) received the loss for the Trojans after going one and a third innings, allowing two runs on one hit.
The Cajuns trailed 1-0 heading into the top of the eighth and had just three hits. Pinch-hitter Josh Landry got the rally started with a one-out walk, and Ray Dees followed with a single before a walk to Dallas Morris loaded the bases.
Corey Coles then lifted a fly ball to deep right field, plating Landry with the tying run, but the throw back to the infield got away from UALR second baseman Chris Julo, and Dees never slowed down at third base, scoring without a throw for a 2-1 UL lead.
Bryan Sneed then lined a double down the right field line, scoring Morris and giving the Cajuns a two-run lead.
UL added to the lead in the ninth when Phillip Hawke singled to leadoff the inning. UALR reliever Brad Cherry then fielded Brad Saloom's bunt and sailed it into centerfield, putting runners at second and third with no one out. Kevin Preau's double down the line in left plated both runners to add two more insurance runs for the Cajuns. A sacrifice fly from Dees scored Preau for a 6-1 Ragin' Cajuns advantage.
UALR got the lead in the sixth when Aaron Haefele singled with one out and moved to second on Santino Dewreede's sacrifice bunt. Rick Guarno then chopped the first pitch from Ardoin down the left field line for an RBI double and a 1-0 Trojan lead.
Little Rock loaded the bases in the seventh after Morris made an error at third and consecutive singles by Josh Ward and Matt Spatafora, but Ardoin induced an inning-ending fly ball from Haefele to get out of the jam.
UALR starter Evan Neiser was very effective, locating the fastball and getting the Cajuns to chase the change-up, working six-plus scoreless innings. Neiser gave up just three hits and struck out three without a walk in the no decision.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
