Baseball: Robichaux sparks Cajuns in middle game

Michael Strentz runs for the ball at the UL v. UL Monroe game at Moore Field on Saturday, March 16. Photo by Allyce Andrew 3/16/13

Tim Buckley, The Advertiser, March 17, 2013

Going against UL Monroe ace Cale Wine, the UL baseball team needed a few things to go in its favor Saturday.

One would be comparable, if not better, pitching. Another other would be some breaks, if not flat-out Warhawk mistakes. A couple big hits wouldn’t hurt, either.

The Ragin’ Cajuns got all they needed in front of 2,333 at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field, as starter Austin Robichaux and closer Matt Hicks combined on a five-hitter and UL got five runs — all unearned — in the third inning of a 5-2 win over ULM.

The Cajuns got a two-run homer from first baseman Chase Compton and a key RBI single from catcher Michael Strentz in the decisive third to take the middle outing in a three-game Sun Belt Conference weekend series that concludes this afternoon with Cody Boutte (3-0) on the mound for UL.

"That’s how you beat a good arm — you match him," Cajuns coach coach Tony Robichaux said. "Austin (Robichaux) matched him. Even though they scored first (with one run in the second), (he) didn’t let the game get away.

"We were able to play good, solid defense. And then you try to get that one hit that matters — and Strentz’s hit mattered.

"If Austin lets the game get away from him in that (second) inning," Robichaux added, "then all of a sudden Strentz’s hit means nothing."

But it did.

Winners now of four straight and eight of their last nine, the Cajuns improved to 15-3 overall and 2-0 in SBC play.

UL Monroe fell to 8-11, 0-2 despite a complete game from Wine, who entered with a 2.33 ERA.

"We had that one big inning," Austin Robichaux said. "But, besides that, he (Wine) did his job. He dominated us all game. We just happened to have that one big inning."

Huge, actually.

Still down 1-0 going into the bottom of the third, Cajuns right-fielder Dex Kjerstad reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt.

Left-fielder Ryan Leonards then singled up the middle, and Kjerstad scored from second after ULM catcher Logan Fiasco dropped the throw to home.

Leonards later stole third and scored on a throwing error by Fiasco, and Strentz singled to left to score Tyler Girouard, who had been intentionally walked, with what wound up standing up as the winning run.

Compton followed Strentz to the plate, and homered to left-center to make it 5-1.

"I’m seeing it pretty good," said Compton, whose homer was his second of the season and second in two games. "I’m just trying to go up there and relax, just stay in the middle and just stay confident in myself and just try to help the team any way I can."

The comfy four-run cushion proved to be plenty for Robichaux, who improved to 3-0 and lowered his ERA from 2.25 to 1.95.

The sophomore from Notre Dame High struck out a career-high eight, walked none and yielded just three hits in his 7.2 innings, topping his previous strikeout best of six set last May at Middle Tennessee.

"I always like having a big lead to throw behind," said Robichaux, whose fastball was dropping with frequency. "You can get more comfortable, more relaxed, on the mound.

"I gave up that one run," he added, "but I wasn’t too worried, because I knew our hitters could do their job, and they did."

Also accomplishing his mission Saturday was Cajun closer Hicks, who entered in the eighth with men on first and second — Robichaux, pulled after 103 pitches, hit the last two batters he faced — and got UL out of a jam.

Hicks did so by striking out designated hitter and cleanup hitter Taylor Abdalla, ULM’s leading home-run hitter this season with three.

Hicks did allow a single to Dalton Herrington and a run-scoring double to Jeff Fuller with two out in the top of the ninth, but he got pinch-hitter Justin Stawychny to ground out for his sixth save of the season.

"We wanted to come with a fresh arm, and an arm slot that they guy hadn’t seen," Tony Robichaux said. "We were four outs away, and that’s where your closer’s big."

Which was just one thing in UL’s favor Saturday.

LAGNIAPPE: UL has clinched a series home win over ULM for the first time since the Warhawks joined the conference in 2007. "» After going 2-for-3 Saturday, Compton is now hitting .476 (10-of-21) with two doubles, two home runs and six RBIs over UL’s last eight games. "» Cajun centerfielder Seth Harrison, 2-for-4 Saturday, is riding a 10-game hitting streak that is UL’s longest since Mike Petello enjoyed a 14-game streak in 2011. "» Hicks now has 10 career saves, two shy of tying the UL career record of 12 shared by Kraig Schambough (2002-05) and Justin Robichaux (2007-10).