Louisiana Baseball Opens Five-Game Week With Nicholls State

THE MIDWEEK SERIES (TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY)
Date: Tuesday, March 18, 2014/ Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Location: Lafayette, La./ Thibodaux, La.
Site: M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field (3,200)/ Ray E. Didier Field (3,200)
Time: 6 p.m./ 6 p.m.
Opponent: Nicholls State (10-10, 2-1 Southland)
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM
TV: None
Live Stats: www.RaginCajuns.com/www.GeauxColonels.com

PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Tuesday - LHP Ryan Wilson (UL) vs. LHP Mike Hanchar (NICH)
Wednesday - TBA (UL) vs. RHP Brandon Jackson (NICH)

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team is set to put its seven-game win streak on the line as the Cajuns open a five-game week with a home and home doubleheader against Nicholls State starting on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.

The two teams are scheduled to play Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Thibodaux at Ray E. Didier Field. Both contests can he heard live on ESPN 1420-AM with Jay Walker making the call. Live stats and video are available on RaginCajuns.com for Tuesday's game.

The Cajuns (17-2, 3-0 Sun Belt) are coming off of a series sweep of ULM to open Sun Belt Conference play. Louisiana outscored the Warhawks 39-4 in the series capping the weekend with a dominant 21-2 victory.

Sophomore Blake Trahan is riding a nine-game hit streak into the week and leads the team with a .373 average. The Cajuns have seven players with double digit RBI through five weeks and lead the conference with 130. Jace Conrad leads the squad and ranks third in the Sun Belt in RBI with 20.

The Ragin' Cajuns also lead the conference in runs scored (141), ERA (2.30) and fielding percentage (.981).

Ryan Wilson will make the start on Tuesday night, while Wednesday's starter has yet to be announced. Wilson 1-0 on the season with a 2.80 ERA and seven strikeouts. The Owasso, Okla., native picked up his only win of the season a week ago at Tulane.

Louisiana moved up again in all five polls as the team is now ranked in the top 10 in every ranking. Baseball America continues to give the Cajuns the highest honor with the squad coming in at fifth in the poll. The Ragin' Cajuns are also sixth in Collegiate Baseball, seventh in Perfect Game and eighth in the NCBWA and USA Today polls.

The Cajuns hold a 67-51-1 edge in the Nicholls State series having won 15 of the last 19 meetings despite a 4-3 setback in the last meeting with the Colonels.

Nicholls State (10-10, 2-1 Southland) picked up a series win against Houston Baptist over the weekend after dropping a midweek contest against LSU.

Leo Vargas leads the Colonels offensively hitting .314 with 22 hits and scored 16 runs. Tyler Duplantis has a team-best 15 RBI on the season.

As a team, the Colonels are hitting .235 with 97 runs in 20 games. Nicholls State features a strong pitching staff with a team ERA of 2.37. Tuesday starter Mike Hanchar boasts a 1.29 ERA despite a 0-1 record, while Tuesday starter Brandon Jackson is 1-1 with a 2.12 ERA.

Following the two midweek games with the Colonels, Louisiana will host Sun Belt newcomer Georgia State in a three-game series at the Tigue starting Friday at 6 p.m.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Louisiana Baseball Opens Five-Game Week With Nicholls State

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