University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Nicholls State
Cajuns Open Season with Victory
2/13/2007 5:00:00 AM | Baseball
The Ragin' Cajuns (1-0) collected 14 hits on the night en route to scoring 15 runs. The Cajuns were 11-2 in 2006 when they scored 10 or more runs in a game.
The win marks the first time since UL downed Southeastern Louisiana on March 28, 2006, that the Ragin' Cajuns won a midweek contest when the opposing team scored five or more runs
Leading the Cajuns were a handful of batters who collected multiple hits on the night. Devon Bourque led all Cajuns with four hits, while Justin Robichaux and Devery Van De Keere both had three hits apiece. Xavier Alexander and Nolan Gisclair both had a pair of hits in their Ragin' Cajuns debut.
Robichaux fell a double short of hitting for the cycle, as had a three-run homer, an RBI single and triple in the game. He led the team with three runs batted in and also scored three runs.
Van De Keere and Alexander were the only to other Cajuns with multiple RBI.
Buddy Glass (1-0) took the win for the Cajuns, working 5.0 innings. He surrendered five runs, but just three earned runs on six hits. He struck out three batters without issuing a walk.
Pre-season All-Conference selection Danny Farquhar earned his first save of the season. He entered the game with the Cajuns holding on to a two-run lead and kept the Colonels scoreless working 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and fanning three batters.
The Ragin' Cajuns started the first inning by scoring six runs to take a commanding lead.
With one out in the first, Alexander appeared to triple to right centerfield, but the umpires ruled that Nicholls State's centerfielder Thomas Bourne made the diving grab.
A pair of walks gave the Cajuns runners on first and second with two outs in the first inning. Van De Keere singled to second base driving in the first run of the game. Scott Hawkins scored on a throwing error by the NSU second baseman, allowing Van De Keere to advance to second. Gisclair singled to second base, scoring Van De Keere. Gisclair stole second and Jefferies Tatford walked to give the Cajuns a pair of baserunners. Robichaux then hit an 0-1 pitch over the scoreboard in left centerfield to extend the Cajuns lead to six.
Nicholls State cut the lead in the top of the third. A single and a hit batter gave the Colonels runners on first and second. NSU advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt. A groundout to second base put Nicholls State on the score board.
The Cajuns answered in the bottom half of the third inning. Van De Keere led off the inning with a double off of the right field wall. Gisclair laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runner and a sacrifice fly gave UL a 7-1 advantage.
In the fourth inning, the Colonels cut the Cajuns lead. A one-out double gave Nicholls State a runner in scoring position. A single gave NSU runners on the corners. The Cajuns, playing at double-play depth, looked to have gotten the ground ball they wanted, but the ball took an awkward bounce off of the pitchers mound scoring the runner. After a stolen base moved both runners into scoring position, the Colonels scored their second run of the inning on a ground out. A fielding error by the Cajuns allowed the third run of the inning and cut the UL lead to 7-4.
Nicholls State cut the lead to just two in the fifth inning. After the leadoff runner singled up the middle, the Cajuns threw away the pickoff attempt, allowing the runner move to second base. A groundout and fielder's choice plated the runner and cut the lead to just 7-5.
The Cajuns added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Robichaux drew a base on balls. A three-base error by Nicholls State's left fielder scored Robichaux and placed Bourque on third base. A single up the middle plated Bourque and extended the UL lead to four runs.
Nicholls State scored a pair of runs in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 9-7. With two outs, the Cajuns hit the NSU batter. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. A pair of singles scored two runs and brought the Colonels to within striking distance.
Two runs were as close as Nicholls State would get. In the bottom of the inning, the Cajuns answered with a four-run inning to extend their lead and seal the game.
Bourque led-off the seventh inning with a single to left field. He moved to third as Alexander reached base on a fielding error by NSU. Jonathan Lucroy was intentionally walked to load the bases for UL. With a full count, Hawkins drew a base on balls to score Bourque from third. A sacrifice fly by Van De Keere scored Alexander. Another fielding error scored the two more Cajuns baserunners and gave the Cajuns a 13-7 lead.
The Cajuns added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Robichaux led off the inning with a triple to centerfield. Bourque followed him with an RBI single. He advanced to second on a wild pitch. Alexander doubled to left center to score Bourque, but was called out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
The Ragin' Cajuns return to action on Friday, Feb. 16, as UL travels to San Antonio, Texas to play a three-game series with Texas-San Antonio. First pitch on Friday night is slated for 5 p.m.
