University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
* Florida International
Third-Time Not a Charm, Golden Panthers Sweep Cajuns
4/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
MIAMI,
Fla.-The Cajuns
couldn't establish a presence in the batters box
Sunday as FIU completed the sweep, taking Sunday's contest
by a 9-3 final. The Panthers up their record to 24-22
(9-3 SBC), while in the process dropping UL to 24-15 (9-6).
A two run FIU first inning set the tone in the contest
early.
P.J. Lehman doubled to left with one gone in the bottom of
the opening
frame. Yahmed Yema singled to first advancing Lehman to
third. Yema swiped second before Fernnie Alvarez singled to
plate the two runners on base.
The inning ended on a play at the plate when Alvarez went
into home standing and was ejected for his antics.
Jered Salazar threw six and two-thirds innings giving up
three earned runs
on eleven hits while striking out five.
David Asher earned the win going six innings and striking
out five. Asher
(2-3) was charged with one earned run while scattering nine
hits in the
outing.
Michael Lopez doubled to start the bottom of the second. A
Luis Rivera check swing groundout advanced the runner to
third. Dennis Diaz attempted a squeeze bunt that turned into
an RBI single with no one covering the bag.
The Cajuns picked up two runs in the top of the third when
Micah Cockrell
reached base on an infield error and took third on Ryan Core's single to
left. John Coker singled to right to score Cockrell, pulling
the Cajuns to
within two.
Morris drew a two-out walk to load the bases for Justin Bourque who reached on a fielding error scoring Core to make
it a 3-2 game.
Brad Saloom and Morris singled one away in the Cajuns' half
of the fifth
inning putting runners on first and second, but the Panthers
ended the
inning with an infield groundout and a play at the plate.
Yema reached second on an error with two outs before Mario
Suarez singled to left and scored Yema who was running on
the play to give FIU a 4-2 lead.
The Panthers went up 6-2 when Brian Aragon doubled to right
scoring Otero, who walked, and Suarez.
Asher retired the Cajuns side in order in the top of the
sixth.
The Cajuns found themselves in a first and third situation
with no outs in
the top of the seventh after Core and Merendino each singled
to start
the inning. John Coker plated Core on a groundout to short.
Suarez doubled with two outs in the bottom of the seventh
before Brandt Sanders entered the contest in relief of Salazar. Sanders
caught Otero
gazing at strike three to end the inning.
FIU loaded the bases in the eighth on a pair of singles and
a hit batsman. A
Diaz sacrifice fly scored the seventh run of the inning.
An infield fielding error that scored two more sealed the
deal for the
Golden Panthers as two more runners crossed the plate,
bringing the score to 9-3.
Louisiana-Lafayette will regroup and prepare for a Tuesday
night home game against the McNeese State Cowboys. Tuesday's
first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m.
