Baseball: Clement Named Louisville Slugger National POTW; Cajuns Sweep LSWA Weekly Honors

LAFAYETTE, La. – Junior outfielder Kyle Clement was named one of the Louisville Slugger National Players of the Week after strong week at the plate helping lift the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team to a 5-0 week including a sweep of conference opponent UT Arlington, the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper announced on Monday.
 
The Cajuns (28-15, 12-7 Sun Belt) also swept the Louisiana Sports Writers Association (LSWA) Player of the Week honors as Clement was tabbed the Hitter of the Week, while freshman left-hander Gunner Leger was honored as the Pitcher of the Week.
 
Clement is the third Ragin’ Cajuns hitter to earn LSWA honors joining shortstop Blake Trahan (March 9) and second baseman Stefan Trosclair (March 30). Leger is the first pitcher on the Louisiana staff this season to earn LSWA honors.
 
"This is a great honor for our program and for Gunner and Kyle," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "Anytime you have a guy earn a national award it helps your program. This is yet again another example of baseball paying our players back for their hard work and effort. I’m glad for Clement. He had to sit and wait last season behind a group of good outfielders, and now he is making the most of his opportunity. He worked while he waited, and that hard work and effort has showed over the last two weeks."
 
Clement hit .476 (10-for-21) with three doubles, three home runs, nine RBI, and scored five times. The Jeanerette, La., native raised his average from .305 to .340 in the five games as he was instrumental in each of the Cajuns’ victories. Clement registered the game-winning RBI in four of the five contests on the week, while he got a five-run inning started against Southern in the come from behind victory. Clement clinched the series win against UT Arlington with his walk-off single in the ninth giving Louisiana a 3-2 victory on Saturday.
 
The junior doubled his home run production for the season during the week posting all six of his homers in the last 11 games including the three in the last five games. Clement also doubled his RBI production for the season as he now has 18 RBI on the year. He currently has a seven-game RBI streak and a nine-game hit streak. Clement slugged 1.048 with a .500 on base percentage during the five-game week.
 
Leger was lights out in the series opener against UT Arlington combining with junior right-hander Will Bacon to register the Cajuns second shutout of the season. Leger scattered five hits over seven innings with six strikeouts and no walks. The left-hander allowed only one runner to reach third base in the outing as he improved his record to 5-2 on the year. Leger retired 12 straight batters from the second through the sixth inning before giving up an infield single to shortstop Travis Sibley.
 
"Gunner showed glimpses of how good he could be early in the season," Robichaux added. "He continued to work hard and get better, and now he’s established himself as a Friday starter for us. I really like him in that role, and I think he has been up to the challenge the last few weeks."
 
The Lake Chalres, La., native leads the squad in wins (5), innings pitched (64.0) and strikeouts (49). He is also ranks top 10 in the Sun Belt Conference in ERA (3.23).
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns open a five-game week on Tuesday at 6 p.m. as they head in-state foe Nicholls State. Louisiana will then close out the non-conference slate on Wednesday at 6 p.m. as the Cajuns host New Orleans at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field.
 
For updates and info on Louisiana baseball, follow the squad on twitter @CajunsBaseball or check RaginCajuns.com.