University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
New Orleans
Van De Keere Lifts Cajuns Past Privateers
4/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Cajuns threw their eighth complete game of the season in the win
LAFAYETTE-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns needed a homerun and a complete game but were able to down New Orleans 6-2 in the series opener at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field on Friday night. With the win, the Cajuns improve to 21-13 (5-2 Sun Belt), while the Privateers fall to 18-18 (4-6 SBC).
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Devery Van De Keere hit his third homerun of the season to give the Cajuns a 4-2 edge that they would not relinquish. The junior finished the game with three hits on the night a runs scored and three RBI.
Van De Keere has been hot of late. In the last 10 games, the Canadian is batting .583 with two doubles, two triples and two homeruns. He also has nine runs batted in with a .586 on base percentage and a slugging percentage of 1.083.
On the mound for UL, starting pitcher Hunter Moody hurled his fourth complete game of the season to improve to 6-2 on the year. He surrendered a pair of runs with just one earned run. The southpaw struckout eight batters but walked four. The complete game is the eighth by a Cajuns pitcher this season and UL is 7-1 when a starter goes the distance.
Josh Landry was the only other Cajun with multiple hits. The senior had a pair of hits, including a double, along with three runs batted in.
New Orleans was the first to strike as they plated a runner in the first inning. With two outs, Michael Epping bunted for a single to give the Privateers their first base runner of the night. Epping stole second and advanced to third base as the Cajuns' catcher Jonathan Lucroy's attempt to throw out the runner was off the mark. Epping came around to score as Johnny Giavotella singled up the middle.
The score remained 1-0 until the fifth inning. UNO's Nick Mitchell hit his first homerun of his Privateer career to extend the New Orleans lead to 2-0.
The homerun was the first allowed by Moody since March 31 against Arkansas State. In that game against the Indians, the homer was the only run allowed by Moody as the south paw pitched a complete game and the Cajuns prevailed 10-1.
The Cajuns cut the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. With no one on and two outs, Alex Preciado hit a triple to left centerfield. The hit was just the Cajuns second of the game. Josh Landry brought Preciado around as he singled through the left side, cutting the score to 2-1.
Louisiana took the lead in the sixth inning. John McCarthy led off the inning with a bunt single to first base. Devon Bourque drew a base on balls to give the Cajuns a pair of base runners. Devery Van De Keere stepped to the plate and launched his third homerun of the year into the pine trees behind the right field fence.
Following the homerun, Tim Santiago drew four pitch walk to extend the inning. Preciado reached base on a fielding error that allowed him to advance all the way to second base and move Santiago to third base. Landry doubled to right field to plate Santiago and Preciado and extend the Cajuns lead to 6-2.
Both teams' defense would stand strong and the score remained 6-2.
The Cajuns and Privateers will continue the series on Saturday at the Tigue. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN+ regional television.
-Ragin' Cajuns-
