Cajuns Welcome LSU to "The Tigue" on Tuesday

Contact: Matt Hebert

Game Notes

THE MIDWEEK GAME
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013
Location: Lafayette, La.
Site: M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field (3,755)
Time: 6 p.m
Opponent: LSU (6-1)
Radio: News Talk 96.5 FM
TV: MyKLAF (cable 13, DirecTV 62, LUS Fiber 13)
Internet Broadcast Link: 96.5 KPEL-FM
Live Stats/Video: www.RaginCajuns.com

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
LHP Kody Smith (UL) vs. LHP Cody Glenn (LSU)

PLAY BALL
Louisiana is set to play in front of a sellout crowd at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field on Tuesday, Feb. 26 as LSU visits for the first time since March 2002. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. The Ragin' Cajuns (7-1) bring a four-game win streak into the midweek tilt with the Tigers (6-1) after a midweek win over Northwestern State and a three-game sweep of UTSA last week.

THE CAJUNS ARE RAGIN'
Louisiana hit .356, pounded out 53 hits and produced 41 runs during the 4-0 run last week. The performance brought the season batting average to .322 and the runs per game average to 8.1 runs per game. A year ago, the Cajuns scored just 4.7 runs per game and hit .263 in 53 games

BUSY WEEK AT THE OFFICE
It will be a quick turnaround for the Ragin' Cajuns as they welcome Nicholls State to “The Tigue” on Wednesday evening. The Colonels face Tulane on Tuesday night before making the trip to Lafayette. After the midweek with Nicholls, Louisiana has a one day break before starting a three-game set with Sacred Heart University on Friday.

THE LSU SERIES (LSU leads 47-23)
This is the sixth straight season the two programs meet since the series resumed in 2008. After a 2002 meeting in the NCAA Regional at Baton Rouge, the teams did not meet for five years. LSU owns a 11-6 advantage in the Robichaux Era. Teams met in Baton Rouge each of the previous five seasons after series resumption. The two programs have split the last four meetings. The Cajuns claimed the last meeting at “The Tigue”, defeating the Tigers 7-0 behind an Andy Gros complete game shutout. UL and LSU met in NCAA Regional play in 1990, 1991, 1998 and 2002.

LAST TIME VS. LSU
LSU claimed a 5-0 decision at Alex Box Stadium on March 28, 2012, avenging an 11-5 loss to UL in 2011. Two home runs provided all but one of the Tigers runs and 10 different pitchers combined to hold the Cajuns to three hits. After a one hour, 17 minute rain delay, the Cajuns' bullpen was able to hold the Tigers in their tracks when play resumed, holding LSU to one hit the over the final 5 2/3 innings. The offense never got untracked and UL was shutout for the first time in 2012.

QUICK RESET
Louisiana used a 20-hit attack on Friday in downing UTSA 18-6 in the series opener. A seven-run fourth inning blew open a 3-2 contest and the Cajuns never looked back. On Saturday, UL bounced back from a 3-0 first inning deficit scoring twice in the third, fifth and sixth innings to complete the comeback and hand Tony Robichaux his 900th career victory. On Sunday, Seth Harrison's leadoff double resulted in the game winning run in the third inning and Austin Robichaux's quality start (6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4H) guided the Cajuns to the sweep of the Roadrunners.

EARLY RETURNS ARE UP
Louisiana has scored five runs or more six times through the season's first eight games. Last season, the Cajuns reached the five-run plateau 27 times in 53 games (51%).

STRETCHING THE BENCH
A total of 16 Cajuns made at least one plate appearance in the CMU series and once again in Wednesday's win over Northwestern State and the UTSA series opener.

INSTANT OFFENSE, SWIFT BLOW
Three times already the Cajuns batting order has flexed its muscle to put away an opponent. In the season opener, a seven-run sixth inning stretched the lead to 12-3 over CMU. Last Wednesday, UL turned the lineup over and registered nine runs in turning a 3-2 lead over Northwestern State into a double digit lead in the fourth inning. In the UTSA series opener, the Cajuns scored seven runs off of six innings to stretch out a 3-2 lead over the Roadrunners.

STIRRING THE OFFENSE
Seth Harrison was the key catalyst for the Ragin' Cajuns' 4-0 week posting a .765 on-base percentage and leading the team with nine runs scored. Harrison ended the UTSA series sweep 7-for-10 at the plate (.700) with a team-high seven runs scored. He reached base in his last nine plate appearances and was 6-for-7 at the plate in opportunities in which he could advance a baserunner.

COACHES SHUFFLE PLACES
With the promotion of Anthony Babineaux to associate head coach, he moves into the dugout to serve as Tony Robichaux's bench coach. Full-time assistant coach Matt Deggs, in charge of the offense, moves into the third base box (coached first base in 2012). And, newly hired volunteer assistant Lance Harvell will coach at first base.

NEW FACES, NEW BEGINNINGS
The Cajuns roster is filled with several newcomers as the team attempts to create a new “identity” to put last season behind them (23-30, 11-9 Sun Belt). In all, the team's official roster – which is made up of 32 players – features 17 new players.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Cajuns Welcome LSU to "The Tigue" on Tuesday

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