University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Blue Raiders Avoid Weekend Sweep with Eight-run Opening Inning to Down Cajuns 9-6
4/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Blue
Raiders Avoid Weekend Sweep with Eight-run Opening Inning to
Down Cajuns 9-6
Five-run sixth-inning
rally not enough as Cajuns drop to 4-2 in SBC play
April 4,
2004
MURFREESBORO, Tenn.-The Blue Raiders put up eight
runs in the first which proved to be an ample lead as
the Cajuns leave Tennessee winning two out of three in
the series against MTSU. The Cajuns move to 18-9 overall
with the loss and drop to 4-2 in conference play.
Middle Tennessee jumped ahead in the bottom of the first
when Eric McNamee singled to the right side off of
Cajuns starter Josh Kohrs before Chuck Akers walked.
Derek Phillips bunted both runners over with a sacrifice
before Shane Kemp walked on a full count. McNamee scored
on a Brett Carroll flare that fell for a single to left.
Nate Jaggers and Jeff Beachum each singled in a run to
put the Blue Raiders on ahead by three. Michael McKenry
hit a grand slam to clear the bases putting the Raiders
on top 7-0.
Brandt Sanders came in to pitch in relief of Kohrs with
one out in the
inning.
Middle Tennessee added one more in the inning after
Chase Eakes walked to bring up McNamee in the top of the
lineup. Eakes advanced to second on a groundout to third
before scoring on an Akers single to center.
Josh Kohrs(3-1) accepted the loss throwing only
one-thirds of an inning
giving up seven runs on seven hits.
BJ Church got the win throwing five-and-two-thirds
innings giving up three
runs on three hits while fanning ten.
Church retired the Cajuns in order in the top of the
second.
Kevin Preau chopped a single up the middle with two outs
for the Cajuns in the top of the third. Preau went to
second when Church hit Merendino with his first
offering. Josh Landry reached on a fielding error to
load the
bases, but the Cajuns would leave the bases full as
Church recorded his
third strikeout in the inning.
Church retired the Cajuns in the fourth and fifth
without allowing a hit.
The Cajuns got on the board in the top of the sixth when
Brad Saloom hustled out a wild pitch after swinging at
strike three to reach first and reached third on
Landry's double to the wall in right-center. Justin Bourque singled to left scoring Saloom and Landry.
Bourque advanced to second on an errant throw before
Raiders reliever Chase Swing issued a free pass to
Leonard Guerrero. Ryan Core drove in the third run of
the inning with a double off the outfield wall in left
that left runners on second and third. Micah Cockrell
doubled down the third base line to drive in the two
chasing Swing in favor of Steve Kline who got the last
out of the inning for Middle.
Jered Salazar came in to work in the bottom of the sixth
for the Cajuns
striking out two and getting a ground ball out to retire
the heart of the
Raiders' lineup.
The Cajuns got one more in the top of the seventh.
Saloom started the inning with a hotshot single up the
middle before Landry singled to right-center putting the
runners on first and second. Rhett Buras walked to load
the bases. A fielder's choice gave Bourque an RBI
pulling the Cajuns to within two.
McNamee punched a single through the left side for
Middle Tennessee before Akers bunted for a single to put
runners on first and second. A fielder's choice put
runners on the corners. Kemp hit a sacrifice fly to left
as McNamee trotted home giving the Blue Raiders a 9-6
lead.
The Cajuns will head home today and prepare for a four
game homestand starting with a Wednesday night showdown
with the Demons of Northwestern State at the “Tigue” in
Lafayette. Wednesday's game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
