Heartbreaking Loss Spoils Superb Pitching Effort by Robichaux

Contact: Matt Hebert

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LAFAYETTE – Austin Robichaux carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and was one strike away from a complete game shutout when Southeastern Louisiana's Jonathan Pace doubled home two runs to lift the visiting Lions to a 2-1 victory Tuesday evening at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

Robichaux had Pace in a 2-2 count with two outs in the top of the ninth inning and the Cajuns (13-15) leading 1-0. SLU (21-9) was still at bat because of a fielding error by Robichaux on a sacrifice bunt attempt earlier in the inning.

After a second sacrifice bunt placed runners on second and third, Robichaux appeared to escape the only real threat that the Lions posted all night by inducing a grounder back to the mound and connecting with Logan Preston to chase down pinch runner Ryan Downing for the second out.

Brock Hebert, who reached on the fielder's choice grounder and represented the go-ahead run, was able to advance to second base during the rundown of Downing. Pace then took the 2-2 offering from Robichaux and lofted it into the left field corner to put SLU up 2-1.

Louisiana was able to get the tying run to third base in the bottom of the ninth inning after Chase Compton reached on a fielding error and pinch runner Ryan Leonards moved up two bases on a failed pickoff attempt by Lions closer Stefan Lopez.

Like the season's earlier meeting in Hammond, Lopez stranded the potential tying run for the Cajuns on third base as he caught Tyler Frederick looking for the third and final out of the contest.

The heartbreaking loss put a damper on a magnificent pitching performance from Robichaux. The youngest of head coach Tony Robichaux's three children, he retired 19 straight batters after issuing a leadoff walk to Ladd Rhodes and when Pace was at bat in the ninth inning had only faced four batters over the minimum.

UL can look back on consecutive innings late in the contest when the leadoff batter reached base and the squad wasn't able to extend their 1-0 lead.

In the seventh inning, the Lions were able to keep their deficit at one run after working around a leadoff single by Compton. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Compton to second base, reliever Dylan Hills held him in his tracks by inducing a grounder to shortstop and a strikeout of Daniel Nichols ended the frame.

The Cajuns got the leadoff hitter aboard again in the eighth inning, but were unable to take advantage as Jordan Bourque bunted into a 3-6-4 double play for two quick outs. Brian Bowman reached base after drawing a walk off of SLU reliever Tanner Rainey, but was caught attempting to steal second base.

“We just have to finish the last pitch,” head coach Tony Robichaux said. “The game is always going to come down to the last out. That's the greatest thing about this game…there's no clock. You have to give your opponent his last at bat and you've got to be able to get that guy at the end.

“Austin was locked in early with good rhythm and tempo and had sink on his fastball which kept the ball in the park all night long and got his off-speed over the plate as well. What you want to see out of a freshman is working to get better and being able to come back after a tough outing at LSU and that's what he did with his performance tonight.”

Louisiana remains at “The Tigue” over the weekend, welcoming Western Kentucky for a three-game Sun Belt series which runs Friday-Sunday, April 6-8. Start times are 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Rainey picked up the victory after pitching a scoreless frame for SLU in the eighth. Lopez notched his 11^th save of the season.

The Ragin' Cajuns dropped their seventh straight contest dating back to a 6-4 loss to Arkansas State on Saturday, March 24. The defeat was also the ninth straight to the Lions, a streak which dates back to the 2008 season.

SLU completed the season series sweep of UL. In both matchups, the Lions combined to score seven unearned runs. The Lions plated five unearned runs for a 6-5 win in Hammond on Feb. 22 and both runs scored off of Robichaux Tuesday night were unearned due to the error on the sacrifice bunt.

Robichaux and SLU starting pitcher Buck Bernard went back-and-forth in a scoreless, hitless duel through the first three innings. After a leadoff walk, Robichaux retired the next nine Lions batters. Bernard retired each of the first nine Cajuns he faced.

A Bowman push bunt resulted in a leadoff single for the Cajuns in the bottom half of the fourth and the ensuing action led to the game's first run. SLU first baseman Britt Gautreaux made an errant throw after fielding Bowman's bunt, allowing him to move up to second base. Two batters later, Dylan Butler doubled over the reach of Harry Slade in center field to bring home Bowman for a 1-0 lead.

Bernard walked Compton, but used a pair of fielders' choice grounders to prevent UL from extending the lead.

Robichaux continued to stifle the Lions hitters, extending his no-hit effort through six complete innings of work.

An infield single to third base by Hebert, just inside the foul line, ended Robichaux's no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning. He induced a grounder and struck out Cody Gougler to keep the shutout intact.

BASES NOTED: Dylan Butler's RBI double in the fourth inning marked the 12^th time in the past 16 games played that he's recorded at least one RBI…The true freshman from Belle Chasse, La., is now tied with Chase Compton for the team lead with 12 extra base hits (5 doubles, 1 triple, 6 home runs)…Butler leads the Cajuns with 30 RBI, a tally which ranks third in the Sun Belt Conference…UL scored first for the 18^th time in 28 games…Cajuns pitching limited the opposition to single digit runs for the 27^th time in 28 games…The staff is currently on a streak of 12 consecutive games having held the opposition to single digits since allowing 11 to Southern Miss on Sunday, March 11…UL and SLU met for the 103^rd time, the seventh-most played series in school history…The Lions cut the Cajuns lead in the Tony Robichaux era to 13-11…Austin Robichaux turned in his longest outing of the season, besting his previous best of 4 2/3 innings in contests against UTSA and Southern Miss…Freshman Jace Conrad extend his string of consecutive error-free games at second base to 23…Conrad has fielded the past 97 chances he's encountered flawlessly…UL played its seventh one-run game of the season, falling to 3-4 in such contests…Tuesday's game began a stretch in which seven of the next eight games will be played at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field through Sunday, April 15.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Heartbreaking Loss Spoils Superb Pitching Effort by Robichaux

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