Baseball: Like father, like son – Their eyes are on Omaha

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, May 30, 2014

UL pitcher Austin Robichaux (12) was recognized as the preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year. Paul Kieu/The Advertiser UL-Lafayette pitcher Austin Robichaux (12) throws a pitch to a Jackson State batter during the first inning of an NCAA baseball regional game at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge, LA, LA, Saturday, June 1, 2013. Paul Kieu, The Advertiser(Photo: Paul Kieu, The Advertiser)

They are a tag team, father and son, one head coach of the nation’s No. 1-ranked University of Louisiana at Lafayette baseball team, the other its No. 1 pitcher heading into NCAA Tournament play.

Tony Robichaux and Austin Robichaux embarked this year on what so far has been a wild ride, and it continues with the 53-7 Ragin’ Cajuns opening play at 6 tonight against Jackson State in the NCAA Lafayette Regional they are hosting at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

Their ultimate goal for the season is identical: a ticket to Omaha, Neb., and a chance to play for a national championship at the eight-team College World Series.

And they’d love to go together.

Tony Robichaux isn’t terrifically comfortable talking about it. But his youngest son doesn’t seem to mind at all.

“It would mean the world to us,” said Austin Robichaux, who will start on the mound tonight with a 7-2 record and a 3.01 ERA.

Robichaux also was UL’s first pitcher to throw last week in Mobile, Alabama, where the 53-7 Cajuns won their first Sun Belt Conference Tournament title since 1998.

“Just to share the conference tournament with him — that was something special in itself,” said Austin Robichaux, a product of Crowley’s Notre Dame High. “To get him back to Omaha … would just mean the world to me.”

Why?

“Because I’ve seen his face when he was there. I’ve seen how it was,” the son said.

The Cajuns went 2-2 before exiting Omaha early in 2000, which was the first year UL ever played in the CWS.

Tony Robichaux, a McNeese State graduate who has been UL’s head coach since 1995, has been trying to return his team ever since.

He’s come close, getting the Cajuns to NCAA Regionals five times from 2001 through 2013, including in 2007 and 2010, both years in which oldest son Justin Robichaux played for UL, and last season with Austin Robichaux.

Now there’s this year, and Austin Robichaux has one more, and perhaps one last, shot to get his father back to college baseball’s favorite city.

“That would be pretty awesome,” Cajuns second baseman Jace Conrad said.

“You know, Justin didn’t, unfortunately, get the opportunity to do that for him,” Conrad added. “And I think Coach Robe is pretty much banking on this team right here. And I think we’re gonna give him what he deserves.”

How much the fact Austin Robichaux is such a key part of the Cajun roster this year puts extra pressure on UL’s father/coach is something of which no one but Tony Robichaux can ever be certain.

Ditto for the reality that Austin Robichaux, a junior, could leave early after this season if he’s selected high enough in the upcoming Major League Draft.

“He might say it doesn’t (add pressure),” Austin Robichaux said. “(But) you’ll never know what goes on in his head.

“I mean, he wouldn’t tell you. I don’t think so. Because he does well with treating me like just any other player. But, deep down, you never know.”

So just what did Tony Robichaux — who along with wife Colleen also has a daughter, Ashley — offer up when the subject recently was broached?

“I’ve been fortunate that the good Lord has blessed me to be able to coach both my sons,” he said after the Cajuns claimed the NCAA Tournament’s No. 6 seed last Monday.

“My first son that was here, we made two Regionals, won two championships, with him. With Austin now, that’s two championships, two Regionals, and now a national seed. So, I can’t thank the Lord enough for what he’s blessed me with.”