More 9th inning magic from the Cardiac Cajuns

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cajunfanatico
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HOUSTON — The Ragin’ Cajuns did it again.

After being held without a hit for the first 7.2 innings Sunday, the Louisiana-Lafayette baseball team rallied for two runs in the ninth inning without getting the ball out of the infield to stun tournament host Houston 2-1 in the NCAA tournament’s Houston regional.

Tyler Girouard was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Joe Robbins with the winning run. Girouard flung his bat down the third-base line after being hit and started the celebration before being mobbed by his teammates down the first-base line.

The Cajuns advanced to Monday’s tournament championship, where they will face of Sunday night’s game between Rice and Houston. The Cajuns need just one win Monday to advance to the super regional round. The first game is set for 1 p.m., with a winner-take-all game following at 6 p.m. if necessary.

Houston freshman left-hander Seth Romero carved up the Cajuns most of the game. The Cajuns’ Evan Powell broke up Romero’s no-hit bid with two outs in the eighth when he singled through the left side on a 3-2 pitch. Earlier in the at-bat, Powell tried to bunt his way on base and was thrown out by the catcher, but the umpire ruled it a foul ball.

Romero was lifted in the ninth after issuing a leadoff walk to Dylan Butler. The Cougars went to another freshman lefty, Aaron Fletcher, and the Cajuns started their comeback.

Blake Trahan laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Butler to second base. Joe Robbins reached on a throwing error by the shortstop with a little help from Butler, who screened the ball while moving to third base.

Kyle Clement tied the score with a squeeze bunt; Butler barely slid in ahead of the tag. Stefan Trosclair followed by loading the bases with an infield single down the third-base line.

With the bases loaded, Houston chose to stick with Fletcher to face the left-handed Girouard — before Girouard ended it by taking one for the team.

Chris Iriart put Houston on the board in the first inning when he pounced on the first pitch he saw from Gunner Leger, sending it over the wall in left field for a solo home run.

That would be all the Cougars would get off Leger, though. The Cajuns ace was phenomenal over the next five innings and, whenever the Cougars looked primed for a breakout inning, Leger danced out of danger.

Houston loaded the bases with one out in the second inning after back-to-back singles and a hit by pitch, but Leger buckled down and induced a check-swing grounder to first base and a weak fly ball to left to get out of the inning unscathed.

He retired Houston in order each of the next three innings before Iriart snapped a string of 12 consecutive batters retired with a sharp single through the left side. Jacob Campbell followed with a single up the middle to put runners at first and second with one out.

Again, Leger found the pitches he needed to get out of trouble, getting a strikeout and a pop fly to shortstop to get out of the inning.

http://theadvocate.com/sports/ullafayet ... -late-game
A great performance by Houston's pitcher, Romero.


ajcalhoun: Nobody here gives a flying fuck about UL-L and the Sunbelt Conference.
DfromCT
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Congrats to the UL-L Cajuns. One win away from a Super Regional.
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cajunfanatico
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DfromCT wrote:Congrats to the UL-L Cajuns. One win away from a Super Regional.
Thanks D, though that's still a tall order, especially if Houston is the foe tomorrow. These kids are over-achieving right now and I expect the hammer to fall at any time.

I was thinking earlier that the Wave clearly has a better roster right now from top to bottom and played a much tougher schedule. The difference though is the chemisty both within the team and between the team and the coach. Experience at the post-season level also is a huge factor. Robicheaux recruited all these kids and even though our pitching staff is almost all freshmen, the rest of the team is pretty seasoned and know what to expect.

Tulane is on the cusp of some really good baseball and this past season proved that Pierce was an excellent hire. Good luck going forward guys. Cheers.
ajcalhoun: Nobody here gives a flying fuck about UL-L and the Sunbelt Conference.
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RobertM320
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Looks like UL-L will have this in the bag. Rice knocked out Houston last night, 3-2, but the game went TWENTY innings. Both teams had a starter come in the game in relief and pitch the last nine innings each. Had to be a heck of a game. Not sure Rice will have anything left in the tank to beat UL-L twice today.
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Yes, congrats!
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cajunfanatico
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RobertM320 wrote:Looks like UL-L will have this in the bag. Rice knocked out Houston last night, 3-2, but the game went TWENTY innings. Both teams had a starter come in the game in relief and pitch the last nine innings each. Had to be a heck of a game. Not sure Rice will have anything left in the tank to beat UL-L twice today.
Well, nothing's ever in the bag until it's in the bag Robert so nothing will surprise me today. Having said that, the Cajuns have a solid and well-rested pitching staff which should give them the edge. The Rice players will most certainly be running on pure adreline.

Houston must really be agonizing right now. They had the game with the Cajuns in the proverbial bag and let it slip away at the end. Not a single ball left the infield in the bottom half of the 9th. Amazing.
ajcalhoun: Nobody here gives a flying fuck about UL-L and the Sunbelt Conference.
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RobertM320
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cajunfanatico wrote:
RobertM320 wrote:Looks like UL-L will have this in the bag. Rice knocked out Houston last night, 3-2, but the game went TWENTY innings. Both teams had a starter come in the game in relief and pitch the last nine innings each. Had to be a heck of a game. Not sure Rice will have anything left in the tank to beat UL-L twice today.
Well, nothing's ever in the bag until it's in the bag Robert so nothing will surprise me today. Having said that, the Cajuns have a solid and well-rested pitching staff which should give them the edge. The Rice players will most certainly be running on pure adreline.

Houston must really be agonizing right now. They had the game with the Cajuns in the proverbial bag and let it slip away at the end. Not a single ball left the infield in the bottom half of the 9th. Amazing.
I saw that. And only one was scored a hit. The others were sacs and fielder's choices. Houston gave up only two hits and lost. And then to turn right around and have to play Rice and go 20 innings. At least they don't have to travel home today.
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I smell a good old fashioned donnybrook coming in BR
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