University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
New Orleans
Privateers Top Cajuns to Earn NCAA Berth
5/26/2007 5:00:00 AM | Baseball
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The Privateers (37-24) earned the Sun Belt's automatic bid with the victory. The Cajuns (43-15) were already assured of a berth before the game, but may have put their regional host aspirations in jeopardy with the loss.
The Cajuns jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning when Jefferies Tatford's RBI single scored Josh Logan, and increased that lead to 2-0 in the third off starter Justin Garcia when Jonathan Lucroy homered to center. The home run was the 17th of the year for Lucroy, who tied Damian Grossie's all time Cajuns RBI record of 181 with the blast.
But that was all the scoring the Cajuns would do, as the Privateers, who defeated Middle Tennessee in an earlier elimination game Saturday, used three pitchers to calm the Cajuns' bats.
“I've said all along, you pitch your way into a tournament and you hit your way out of it,” said Cajuns coach Tony Robichaux, “and today we just didn't hit. They had some tired arms on short rest, but we just didn't get hits when we needed them.”
Cajuns starter Buddy Glass (7-4) sailed through the first four innings, giving up only three hits, but ran into trouble in the fifth when Nick Schwaner led off with a single. After Glass got Drew Anderson to foul out, Jarrod Ware was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Glass walked Brandon Bowser to load the bases and then hit Joey Butler with a pitch to force in UNO's first run of the game. Baxter greeted reliever Kyle Mickles with a double to center to give
The Cajuns threatened by loading the bases in the seventh, but reliever Stephen Whalen (8-5) got Tatford to foul out to third with Baxter making a great catch to end the inning. Adam Campbell pitched the last two innings for UNO, allowing two hits and no runs.
“I'm happy for UNO. We have two teams from
The tournament title was the first for the Privateers since 1979. The tournament pairings will be announced on ESPN on Monday at
2007 Sun Belt Conference All-Tournament Team
Daniel Bomback (
Kevin Nabors (
David Doss (
Rawley Bishop (Middle
Wayne Kendrick (Middle
Brad Robinson (Middle
Brent Solich (Louisiana-Lafayette)
Jefferies Tatford (Louisiana-Lafayette)
Matt Casbon (Louisiana-Lafayette)
Johnny Giavotella (
Bryan Cryer (
Brandon Bowser (
Joey Butler (
Most Outstanding Player: Johnny Giavotella (
-Ragin' Cajuns-
