Baseball: Cajuns cook Tigers, send LSU to fourth straight loss, 11-5 – photo gallery included

Baseball: Cajuns cook Tigers, send LSU to fourth straight loss, 11-5 – photo gallery included

UL shortstop Greg Fontenot celebrates as he scores on a triple hit by teammate Justin Poirrier in the top of the fifth inning against LSU on Tuesday. / Denny Culbert/dculbert@theadvertiser.com

Glenn Guilbeau,
gguilbeau@gannett.com
Daily Advertiser, March 23, 2011

BATON ROUGE — UL’s Cajuns were as hot as boudin, and LSU was as cold as cush cush.

UL poured pepper in the No. 9 Tigers’ weekend wounds with 15 hits and a spicy 11-5 victory in front of 6,747 at Alex Box Stadium Tuesday night.

The Cajuns (10-10) struck for six runs in the fifth inning to break open a tie game and simmered on to their first win over LSU since a 10-9 victory in 2009 to snap a two-game skid in the series. The Tigers (16-5), who were swept at home by No. 1 Florida over the weekend, lost their fourth straight game.

"Every time we play LSU it’s a big game," UL senior shortstop Greg Fontenot said after going 4-for-6 with two RBIs and three runs scored. "This is a better win than the last one we had because this one just happened. It was a great atmosphere and a great win for us."A large contingent of UL fans made sure the LSU fans knew the score throughout the night, particularly after the Cajuns’ lead grew to 11-5 in the eighth with a two-run home run by Mike Petello off LSU career saves leader Matty Ott. Fontenot led off the inning by greeting Ott with a single.

"We had a great game Sunday against Louisiana-Monroe (an 11-0 win), and we just came out here attacking fastballs," Fontenot said. "It worked for us. We were very aggressive."The Cajuns put up double-digit hits in back-to-back games for the first time all season. They had 16 against ULM."We got totally outplayed tonight," LSU coach Paul Mainieri said. "UL was a better team than us. They hit better. They pitched better, and they deserved to win."After LSU tied the game 3-3 in the fourth with RBI singles by Trey Watkins and Raph Rhymes, the Cajuns sent 10 to the plate for six runs on four two-out hits to take a 9-3 lead. The rally started as LSU reliever Joe Broussard walked two after one out and was replaced by Samuel Peterson, who got Tyler Frederick to fly out to center. But the Cajuns were not done.

Chris Sinclair singled in the first run to give the Cajuns a 4-3 lead. Then ninth batter Jordan Bourque doubled in another one, and it was 5-3. After Alex Fuselier was intentionally walked to load the bases, Fontenot’s single scored two for a 7-3 advantage. Jordan Poirrier ended the scoring in style with a two-run triple for the 9-3 cushion that chased Peterson. Jimmy Dykstra finally replaced Peterson and retired the side.

"We’ve been pitching well all year, and tonight was probably our worst pitching performance of the year," Mainieri said.

"That was good clutch hitting on their part," said LSU’s Mason Katz, who homered in the second inning to cut UL’s lead to 2-1. "Clutch hitting — that’s what we need to start doing. We preach it. We need to start doing it."Broussard (0-1) took the loss in relief of starter Tyler Jones, who could not get out of the second inning. He allowed four hits and two runs with two walks. Broussard gave up another three runs on three hits, and Peterson followed suit by allowing another four runs on four hits. Ott did nothing to cool off the Cajuns as he allowed four hits and two runs.

"We’ve been coming here a long time," UL coach Tony Robichaux said. "And we know that you have to stay away from the big inning here. That six spot we put up is usually what they’ve put on us. We’re swinging the bats better. We were able to get going."LSU answered in the fifth with singles by Mikie Mahtook and Jordy Snikeris and a two-run double by new first baseman Mike Lowery to cut UL’s lead to 9-5. Mainieri just inserted Lowery into the lineup for more offense in light of a lack of clutch hitting in LSU’s three losses to the Gators.

"They had a lot of quality at-bats all night. We got a couple but not enough," Mainieri said. "We didn’t string enough of them together."The Cajuns started hot with a run in each of the first three innings for a 3-1 lead, and they could have had more as they left runners in scoring position in all three innings. Jones struggled again and left the game in the second inning after back-to-back walks.

UL roughed up Jones for four singles in the first inning by Fuselier, Fontenot, Petello and Lance Marvel. Petello drove in the only run as Fuselier was caught stealing. Fontenot’s RBI single made it 2-0 in the second. UL went up 3-1 in the third when Marvel doubled and later scored on an RBI groundout by Daniel Nichols."We have to pick up the pieces and get ready for this weekend," Mainieri said.

The Tigers travel to Georgia this weekend."Coming off four losses, we’re not too high. We’re going to fight through this and start winning," Katz said."You never want to get on a losing streak," Mahtook said. "We have to right the ship as quick as possible."

NOTES: Katz’s home run in the second was the Tigers’ first homer since Mahtook hit one on March 4 against Princeton and broke a string of more than 400 innings, 90 innings and 10 games. … LSU’s game at Georgia at 6:30 p.m. Friday will be shown live in Lafayette on Cox 4. Saturday’s game has been moved up to 3 p.m. and will be televised by Cox Sports Television. "» The Cajuns play at Arkansas State this weekend. "» UL collected seven RBIs after two outs. "» UL coach Tony Robichaux, who has been on the job since 1995, beat LSU for the sixth time against 10 losses.

Athletic Network Footnote: click here for Photo Gallery of UL-LSU Baseball Game.

Baseball Alumni Weekend is planned for April 29-May 1, 2011 – more details soon on AN