Baseball: Robichaux hoping for chance in pro ball

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • June 21, 2010

Various injuries limited Justin Robichaux to only six pitching appearances as a senior at UL, although he provided stellar defense and timely hitting in 39 starts at first base.

Robichaux was not selected two weeks ago in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft, but he is still hoping for a chance to play pro ball.

His father, UL coach Tony Robichaux, said Justin has been cleared to throw again by his doctor and physical therapist after battling groin, bicep and shoulder injuries during the year.

"I want to play somewhere," Justin said. "I just don’t know where yet."

When healthy, Robichaux was one of the best pitchers in the Sun Belt Conference.

The former Notre Dame standout recorded a single-season school record nine saves as a sophomore for the Ragin’ Cajuns.

He became a starter for the last five weeks of his junior season and was second team all-region after allowing only three earned runs in six starts and going 3-3 with a 1.98 ERA on the year.

He leaves UL tied for the most career saves (12) in school history.

Injuries kept Robichaux off the mound for most of his senior year — he went 2-1 with a 3.55 ERA in six appearances — but the team captain’s impact was still obvious.

He committed only one error in 368 chances and was involved in 33 double plays as well as hitting .279 with 24 RBIs as the Cajuns won a share of the Sun Belt title.

Robichaux capped his career by being named to the NCAA Austin Regional all-tournament team after hitting .400 (4-for-10) and not making an error in three games.

Sinclair coming back to Louisiana

Western Nevada College catcher Chris Sinclair, a West Monroe native, has committed to join the Cajuns as a preferred walk-on for his final two years of college.

Sinclair excelled defensively as a sophomore with only one error in 192 chances and handled a WNC pitching staff that had a 2.55 ERA. He hit .239 with 26 hits, 25 walks and 21 runs scored while starting 39 of 43 games played.

WNC (43-17) finished second in the Scenic West Athletic Conference and Region XVIII tournament behind the College of Southern Nevada, led to the NJCAA Division I College World Series by this year’s top overall draft pick Bryce Harper.