University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Middle Tennessee
Bringing It All Together
4/3/2009 5:00:00 AM | Baseball
LAFAYETTE, La. ? Everything finally
came together at the same time for the Ragin' Cajuns, who pulled off a 5-2
upset of Sun Belt leader Middle Tennessee in a thrilling comeback game Friday
night at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field to move back above .500 at 13-12-1 overall
and 6-6 in the Sun Belt Conference.
The Cajuns used timely hitting, error-free
defense, and dominant pitching to get it done, thrilling the 2,346-strong crowd
with their fifth comeback win of the season.
Kyle Bostick keyed a four-run seventh inning with a bases-loaded, three-RBI double off
the right field wall, putting the Cajuns back on top after going down 2-0 in
the fourth on a two-run Blue Raider home run from right fielder Stuart Meinhart.
Other
than the home run, the Cajuns pitching staff was excellent. Alex Fuselier
started the game, and though he earned no decision, went 5 2/3 strong innings,
allowing eight hits, two runs, both earned, with two walks and three
strikeouts. Zach Osborne entered in the sixth with runners on the corners and completely
shut down the Middle Tennessee bats, which has been no easy feat this season.
Osborne
threw 3 1/3 innings of perfect relief, allowing no hits, no runs, with no walks
and five strikeouts, all swinging, including three to retire the top of the
ninth in order. He faced 10 batters and set them all down.
Entering
the weekend, the Blue Raiders were ranked in the top 20 in multiple offensive
categories in NCAA Division I. They include batting average (20th,
.337), scoring (11th, 9.7 runs/game), runs (14th, 233),
hits (t-20th, 297), home runs per game (12th, 1.75), home
runs (t-12th, 42), and slugging percentage (10th, .571).
The
Cajuns shut down catcher Drew Robertson, who was ranked 19th
nationally with a .460 batting average entering the game, and went 0-for-4 with
no walks versus the combination of Fuselier and Osborne.
The
Cajuns bats were also impressive, led by Bostick with his two-out, three-RBI
double as part of a 1-for-4 night. He had been hitless in four tries with the
bases loaded before his game-winning hit tonight. Kyle Olasin added an RBI
single in the next at bat as part of his 2-for-4 outing, extending his hitting
streak into double-digits at 10 straight. Olasin is now .359 on the season.
Greg Fontenot put down a perfect squeeze bunt in the eighth to give the Cajuns their
fifth run, but finished the night 0-for-1 otherwise with a walk and a
strikeout, ending his hitting streak at four games. Scott Hawkins, still one
short of tying the career home run record, went 1-for-3 on the night with a run
scored. Will Long, Les Smith and Chad Keefer all chipped in a
hit each, along with Travis Whipple, who is now on a six-game streak.
Perfect
defense added a third angle to the win, as the Cajuns posted their 11th
error-free game of the season, helping maintain their position as the Sun Belt's
second-ranked defensive team by fielding percentage, now up to .970, 20 points
higher than at the same time last year.
Both
starting pitchers cruised until the fourth inning, when Fuselier gave up a
two-run home run to Stuart Meinhart. Prior to that, Fuselier had allowed no
runs on four hits through the first three innings.
Bryce
Brentz kept the Cajuns off the basepaths until he gave out a two-out walk to
Scott Hawkins in the bottom of the fourth. Les Smith ended Brentz's bid for the
no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth with a single to centerfield as just the
second baserunner for the Cajuns.
Fuselier
allowed two on base before leaving in favor of Osborne with two outs in the top
of the sixth. Osborne bailed him out of the jam with a strikeout of shortstop
Tyler Burnett to end the inning.
In
the bottom of the seventh, the Cajuns loaded the bases off of Brentz with two
outs. Nick Montgomery entered in relief but gave up a double to Kyle Bostick,
in and out of right fielder Stuart Meinhart's glove at the wall to clear the
bases for three runs. Kyle Olasin brought Bostick home in the next at bat,
giving the Cajuns a four-run inning to get back on top of the Blue Raiders 4-2.
The
Cajuns again loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth for Greg Fontenot,
this time with no outs. He executed a perfect squeeze play to score Hawkins
from third and earn the sacrifice bunt RBI, putting the Cajuns up 5-2.
The
Blue Raiders and Ragin' Cajuns continue their weekend series Saturday, March
14, in a 2 p.m. game. Listen in on SportsRadio ESPN 1420 AM locally in Lafayette
and around the world on ESPN1420.com. In the Acadiana area, catch the game on
MyKLAF-TV Cox 13 or check out the live video stream and live statistics at
RaginCajuns.com.
NOTES
· Kyle Bostick was
0-for-4 on the season with the bases loaded before his three-RBI double to
right field in the seventh.
· Middle Tennessee's
two runs represents their lowest run total of the year. They came into the
night averaging an NCAA Division I 14th-best 9.7 runs per game.
· Kyle Olasin extended
his hitting streak to 10 games, while Greg Fontenot ended a streak at four
games. Kyle Bostick is also now on a seven-game hitting streak.
· The Cajuns have now
had a least one double in the last 12 games.
· The Cajuns shut down
catcher Drew Robertson, who was ranked 19th nationally with a .460
batting average entering the game, and went 0-for-4 with no walks versus the
combination of Fuselier and Osborne.
· The Cajuns played
their 11th error free game of the season.
LINE SCORE
Louisiana 5, Middle Tennessee 2 (Apr 03, 2009 at Lafayette, La.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Middle Tennessee.... 000 200 000 - 2 8 1 (21-5, 11-2)
Louisiana........... 000 000 41X - 5 8 0 (13-12-1, 6-6)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Middle Tennessee - Brentz, Bryce; Montgomery, Nick(7); Wilson, Brett(7);
Smalley, Brett(8). Louisiana - Fuselier, Alex; Osborne, Zach(6).
Win-Osborne, Zach(2-2) Loss-Brentz, Bryce(3-1) T-2:35 A-2346
HR MT - Meinhart, Stuart (5).
Weather: 71, clear, wind WNW at 4 mph
Montgomery faced 1 batter in the 7th.
Wilson faced 3 batters in the 8th.
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