University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Thursday, May 16
Lafayette, La.
6:00 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
South Alabama
Louisiana Baseball Preview: The South Alabama Series
5/15/2024 6:20:00 PM | Baseball
Ragin' Cajuns look to claim first outright SBC crown since 2016
LAFAYETTE – The No. 21-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball team closes out the 2024 regular season beginning Thursday when it plays host to Sun Belt Conference rival South Alabama at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
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First pitch for Thursday's opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series will resume on Friday at 6 p.m. before wrapping up Saturday at 2 p.m. All three games will be available on ESPN+ with fans able to listen to the games in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
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Louisiana (38-15, 21-6 SBC), which will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Sun Belt Conference Championships in Montgomery, Ala., enters the three-games of the regular season with a three-game lead over second-place Southern Miss. The Ragin' Cajuns can win the outright title – their first since 2016 – with a win over South Alabama (30-22, 13-14 SBC) or a loss by Southern Miss.
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The Ragin' Cajuns clinched a share of the SBC title after defeating Georgia Southern, 9-2, to complete a three-game sweep on the road. Louisiana opened the weekend with a 19-3 victory over the Eagles last Friday before a 6-4 win to claim the series on Saturday.
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Kyle DeBarge (.359-19-63) enters the series the leader in average, home runs and RBI and looks to become Louisiana's second Triple Crown winner in the past three seasons. The All-America candidate tied the single-season record for home runs (19) which was previously set by David Alvis (1985) and David King (1989) and is 17 total bases shy of surpassing Jonathan Lucroy (174, 2007) for the single-season record.
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Trey LaFleur (.343-8-32), Duncan Pastore (.335-4-34), Caleb Stelly (.307-1-29) and Jose Torres (.303-2-29) are next in hitting for Louisiana, which leads the league in total hits (533) and is fourth overall in batting average (.298).
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Left-handers Andrew Herrmann (5-3, 2.91 ERA) and Chase Morgan (4-2, 2.89 ERA) will start on the mound in the opening two games for Louisiana with senior Carson Fluno (3-0, 2.93 ERA) slated to pitch in the finale.
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Louisiana's pitching staff has been one of the best among Division I programs in 2024 ranking second in nationally in shutouts (7), fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.41), 13th in earned run average (4.14) and 16th in WHIP (1.31).
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Tickets for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
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Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.
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Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
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For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
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GAMES 54-56 PREVIEW
No. 21 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (38-15, 21-6 SBC) vs. South Alabama Jaguars (30-22, 13-14 SBC)
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DATE/TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Thursday – May 16, 6 p.m.
Friday – May 17, 6 p.m.
Saturday – May 18, 2 p.m.
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LOCATION/SITE
M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park (6,015) | Lafayette, La.
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PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andrew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Jr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
'24 Stats: 5-3, 2.91 ERA, 58.2 IP, 47 H, 29 R, 19 ER, 24 BB, 56 K, .221 OppBA
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SOUTH ALABAMA | LH Cam Hill (6-4, 225, Sr., Madison, Ala.)
'24 Stats: 4-3, 4.31 ERA, 64.2 IP, 68 H, 37 R, 31 ER, 21 BB, 39 K, .276 OppBA
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FRIDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Chase Morgan (6-3, 195, Fr., Cypress, Texas)
'24 Stats: 4-2, 2.89 ERA, 62.1 IP, 46 H, 24 R, 20 ER, 16 BB, 59 K, .201 OppBA
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SOUTH ALABAMA | TBA
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SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Carson Fluno (6-3, 190, Sr., Sun Prairie, Wis.)
'24 Stats: 3-0, 2.93 ERA, 46.0 IP, 30 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 17 BB, 41 K, .181 OppBA
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SOUTH ALABAMA | TBA
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RANKINGS
Louisiana – 21st (D1 Baseball); 22nd (NCBWA, USA Today Coaches Poll, Baseball America)
South Alabama – Unranked
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RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
RADIO (Pregame Show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM 96.5 / The Varsity Network App
Talent – Jay Walker (pxp); Brad Topham (color)
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TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Dan McDonald (pxp), Brennan Breaux (color); Anthony Babineaux (color)
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LIVE STATS
CajunStats.com
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SERIES RECORD
Overall: South Alabama leads, 70-55
Last 10: Tied, 5-5
Streak: Louisiana +2
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TICKETS
• Tickets for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
• Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.
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SERIES PROMOTIONS
Thursday – (Presented by First Horizon Bank)
• Thirsty Thursday featuring $4 beers through the first 1,000 sold or the end of the third inning (courtesy of the RCAF)
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Friday – (Presented by Chick-Fil-A)
• Chick-Fil-A Cow First Pitch
• Lafayette Roofing Baseball Bingo
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Saturday – (Presented by Gibson Law Partners)
• Senior Day
• On-Field Graduation Ceremony
• Kid's Day – Anthem Buddies & Kids Run the Bases Postgame
• Signed Bat Giveaway – JD Bank will select one lucky fan to receive a bat signed by every home run hitter this season
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LEADING OFF
• With a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title in hand, No. 21-ranked Louisiana can win the outright championship when it faces rival South Alabama in a three-game series at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
• Louisiana can win its first outright title since 2016 with a win or a Southern Miss loss in the final three games of the regular season.
• Louisiana will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Sun Belt Conference Championships held at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala.
• All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp), Brennan Breaux (color) and Anthony Babineaux (color) providing commentary.
• Fans in the Lafayette area can listen to the all three games in the series on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app with Jay Walker (pxp) and Brad Topham (color) on the call.
• Kyle DeBarge's 19 home runs this season are tied with David Alvis (1985) and David King (1989) for the single-season record.
• Louisiana's 21 wins in SBC games equals its most league victories since finishing 21-9 in both 2016 and 2017.
• The Ragin' Cajuns 38 wins during the regular season are the most since the 2014 team finished 49-7.
• Louisiana enters the weekend ranked second in nationally in shutouts (7), fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.41), 13th in earned run average (4.14), 16th in WHIP (1.31) and 20th in winning percentage (.717).
• LP Langevin ranks third nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (15.22) and is sixth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.07).
• Langevin's 93 strikeouts lead the SBC and ranks 25th among Division I pitchers.
• Chase Morgan (2.89) and Andrew Herrmann (2.91) are ranked first and second respectively in the Sun Belt Conference in ERA.
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SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTH ALABAMA
• Louisiana and South Alabama meet for the 126th time on the diamond with the Jaguars holding a 70-55 lead in the all-time series which dates to 1975.
• Louisiana has claimed two of three games in the series the past two years and is 5-5 against the Jaguars in the last 10 meetings.
• This weekend's series marks the sixth time - and first since 2004 - the teams will meet in the final weekend of the regular season.
• Louisiana and South Alabama have met in the final week of the regular season in 1992, 1993, 1995, 2003, 2004 and 2024.
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WHAT'S UP NEXT
• Louisiana opens play in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Championships on Wednesday (May 22) at 4 p.m. at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala.
• The Ragin' Cajuns will face the lowest remaining seed from Tuesday's first round games which pits the No. 7-10 seeds.
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40 WINS IN THE REGULAR SEASON
• With three games remaining in the regular season, Louisiana has a chance to reach the 40-win mark in the regular season for the ninth time in school history and the first since 2014.
• Louisiana won 49 games during the 2014 Super Regional season and during a 49-13 campaign in 1989.
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"NOTE-Y" THINGS FOR YOUR USE
• Louisiana pitching has held opponents to a paltry .223 average at the plate in 2024 ... if the season ended today, that edge the previous school-record (.225) set in 1983.
• Louisiana is 36-3 this season when it outhits its opponent and 2-11 when opponents have more hits.
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CREATING CHAOS THROUGH #BUNTLIFE
• Louisiana has played well in the short game during the 2024 season, producing 28 bunts for base hits while moving runners over 17 times.
• Maddox Mandino (8) and John Taylor (7) have accounted for more than half of Louisiana's bunt hits in 2024.
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First pitch for Thursday's opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series will resume on Friday at 6 p.m. before wrapping up Saturday at 2 p.m. All three games will be available on ESPN+ with fans able to listen to the games in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app.
Â
Louisiana (38-15, 21-6 SBC), which will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Sun Belt Conference Championships in Montgomery, Ala., enters the three-games of the regular season with a three-game lead over second-place Southern Miss. The Ragin' Cajuns can win the outright title – their first since 2016 – with a win over South Alabama (30-22, 13-14 SBC) or a loss by Southern Miss.
Â
The Ragin' Cajuns clinched a share of the SBC title after defeating Georgia Southern, 9-2, to complete a three-game sweep on the road. Louisiana opened the weekend with a 19-3 victory over the Eagles last Friday before a 6-4 win to claim the series on Saturday.
Â
Kyle DeBarge (.359-19-63) enters the series the leader in average, home runs and RBI and looks to become Louisiana's second Triple Crown winner in the past three seasons. The All-America candidate tied the single-season record for home runs (19) which was previously set by David Alvis (1985) and David King (1989) and is 17 total bases shy of surpassing Jonathan Lucroy (174, 2007) for the single-season record.
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Trey LaFleur (.343-8-32), Duncan Pastore (.335-4-34), Caleb Stelly (.307-1-29) and Jose Torres (.303-2-29) are next in hitting for Louisiana, which leads the league in total hits (533) and is fourth overall in batting average (.298).
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Left-handers Andrew Herrmann (5-3, 2.91 ERA) and Chase Morgan (4-2, 2.89 ERA) will start on the mound in the opening two games for Louisiana with senior Carson Fluno (3-0, 2.93 ERA) slated to pitch in the finale.
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Louisiana's pitching staff has been one of the best among Division I programs in 2024 ranking second in nationally in shutouts (7), fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.41), 13th in earned run average (4.14) and 16th in WHIP (1.31).
Â
Tickets for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
Â
Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.
Â
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
Â
For the latest updates on Ragin' Cajuns baseball, follow on Facebook (RaginCajunsBaseball), Twitter (@RaginCajunsBSB) and Instagram (@RaginCajunsBSB) or check RaginCajuns.com.
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GAMES 54-56 PREVIEW
No. 21 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns (38-15, 21-6 SBC) vs. South Alabama Jaguars (30-22, 13-14 SBC)
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DATE/TIMES (dates and times are subject to change)
Thursday – May 16, 6 p.m.
Friday – May 17, 6 p.m.
Saturday – May 18, 2 p.m.
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LOCATION/SITE
M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park (6,015) | Lafayette, La.
Â
PITCHING MATCHUPS
THURSDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Andrew Herrmann (6-3, 215, Jr., Kennesaw, Ga.)
'24 Stats: 5-3, 2.91 ERA, 58.2 IP, 47 H, 29 R, 19 ER, 24 BB, 56 K, .221 OppBA
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SOUTH ALABAMA | LH Cam Hill (6-4, 225, Sr., Madison, Ala.)
'24 Stats: 4-3, 4.31 ERA, 64.2 IP, 68 H, 37 R, 31 ER, 21 BB, 39 K, .276 OppBA
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FRIDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | LH Chase Morgan (6-3, 195, Fr., Cypress, Texas)
'24 Stats: 4-2, 2.89 ERA, 62.1 IP, 46 H, 24 R, 20 ER, 16 BB, 59 K, .201 OppBA
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SOUTH ALABAMA | TBA
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SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Carson Fluno (6-3, 190, Sr., Sun Prairie, Wis.)
'24 Stats: 3-0, 2.93 ERA, 46.0 IP, 30 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 17 BB, 41 K, .181 OppBA
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SOUTH ALABAMA | TBA
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RANKINGS
Louisiana – 21st (D1 Baseball); 22nd (NCBWA, USA Today Coaches Poll, Baseball America)
South Alabama – Unranked
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RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
RADIO (Pregame Show starts 30 minutes prior to first pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM 96.5 / The Varsity Network App
Talent – Jay Walker (pxp); Brad Topham (color)
Â
TV/STREAMING (ESPN+)
Talent – Dan McDonald (pxp), Brennan Breaux (color); Anthony Babineaux (color)
Â
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.com
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SERIES RECORD
Overall: South Alabama leads, 70-55
Last 10: Tied, 5-5
Streak: Louisiana +2
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TICKETS
• Tickets for Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Baseball are available for purchase on-line at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685).
• Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at Tickets@louisiana.edu.
Â
SERIES PROMOTIONS
Thursday – (Presented by First Horizon Bank)
• Thirsty Thursday featuring $4 beers through the first 1,000 sold or the end of the third inning (courtesy of the RCAF)
Â
Friday – (Presented by Chick-Fil-A)
• Chick-Fil-A Cow First Pitch
• Lafayette Roofing Baseball Bingo
Â
Saturday – (Presented by Gibson Law Partners)
• Senior Day
• On-Field Graduation Ceremony
• Kid's Day – Anthem Buddies & Kids Run the Bases Postgame
• Signed Bat Giveaway – JD Bank will select one lucky fan to receive a bat signed by every home run hitter this season
Â
LEADING OFF
• With a share of the Sun Belt Conference regular-season title in hand, No. 21-ranked Louisiana can win the outright championship when it faces rival South Alabama in a three-game series at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park.
• Louisiana can win its first outright title since 2016 with a win or a Southern Miss loss in the final three games of the regular season.
• Louisiana will be the No. 1 seed in next week's Sun Belt Conference Championships held at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala.
• All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ with Dan McDonald (pxp), Brennan Breaux (color) and Anthony Babineaux (color) providing commentary.
• Fans in the Lafayette area can listen to the all three games in the series on KPEL-FM (96.5) and worldwide on the Varsity Network app with Jay Walker (pxp) and Brad Topham (color) on the call.
• Kyle DeBarge's 19 home runs this season are tied with David Alvis (1985) and David King (1989) for the single-season record.
• Louisiana's 21 wins in SBC games equals its most league victories since finishing 21-9 in both 2016 and 2017.
• The Ragin' Cajuns 38 wins during the regular season are the most since the 2014 team finished 49-7.
• Louisiana enters the weekend ranked second in nationally in shutouts (7), fourth in hits allowed per nine innings (7.41), 13th in earned run average (4.14), 16th in WHIP (1.31) and 20th in winning percentage (.717).
• LP Langevin ranks third nationally in strikeouts per nine innings (15.22) and is sixth in hits allowed per nine innings (5.07).
• Langevin's 93 strikeouts lead the SBC and ranks 25th among Division I pitchers.
• Chase Morgan (2.89) and Andrew Herrmann (2.91) are ranked first and second respectively in the Sun Belt Conference in ERA.
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SERIES HISTORY VS. SOUTH ALABAMA
• Louisiana and South Alabama meet for the 126th time on the diamond with the Jaguars holding a 70-55 lead in the all-time series which dates to 1975.
• Louisiana has claimed two of three games in the series the past two years and is 5-5 against the Jaguars in the last 10 meetings.
• This weekend's series marks the sixth time - and first since 2004 - the teams will meet in the final weekend of the regular season.
• Louisiana and South Alabama have met in the final week of the regular season in 1992, 1993, 1995, 2003, 2004 and 2024.
Â
WHAT'S UP NEXT
• Louisiana opens play in the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Championships on Wednesday (May 22) at 4 p.m. at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala.
• The Ragin' Cajuns will face the lowest remaining seed from Tuesday's first round games which pits the No. 7-10 seeds.
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40 WINS IN THE REGULAR SEASON
• With three games remaining in the regular season, Louisiana has a chance to reach the 40-win mark in the regular season for the ninth time in school history and the first since 2014.
• Louisiana won 49 games during the 2014 Super Regional season and during a 49-13 campaign in 1989.
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"NOTE-Y" THINGS FOR YOUR USE
• Louisiana pitching has held opponents to a paltry .223 average at the plate in 2024 ... if the season ended today, that edge the previous school-record (.225) set in 1983.
• Louisiana is 36-3 this season when it outhits its opponent and 2-11 when opponents have more hits.
Â
CREATING CHAOS THROUGH #BUNTLIFE
• Louisiana has played well in the short game during the 2024 season, producing 28 bunts for base hits while moving runners over 17 times.
• Maddox Mandino (8) and John Taylor (7) have accounted for more than half of Louisiana's bunt hits in 2024.
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Players Mentioned
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP/OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
IF
/ Baseball
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