Feb. 27, 2005

Box Score

LAFAYETTE, LA. - Texas State tried to crash the party at the Mardi Gras Baseball Classic, but tournament-host Louisiana-Lafayette put on an offensive show in the first two innings of the tournament finale, en route to a 10-1 win Sunday at Moore Field in Lafayette, La.

The Ragin' Cajuns came out swinging in the first, scoring six runs on six hits, highlighted by Phillip Hawke's one-out, three-run home run. In UL-Lafayette's second inning at the plate, the Ragin' Cajuns added three more runs, making the score 9-0 after two innings. The Cajuns added one more run in the bottom of the sixth inning on a John McCarthy RBI single. The slap-shot through the middle pushed the Ragin' Cajun lead to 10-0.

Texas State's first notch on the scoreboard came in the eighth, on Cassidy Dresch's inside-the-park home run. Bobcat starter Ryan Bennett was bounced in the second inning after giving up eight runs in one official inning pitched. Freshman reliever Travis Spencer took the ball for the Bobcats in the next five innings, with Jason Baca and Brady Robbins finishing the game's final two frames. Spencer struck out five of the 20 batters he faced and gave up two runs.

Offensively, for the Bobcats, Dresch was one-for-four and hit his first home run of the season, while Jose Rodriguez went two-for-four at the plate. Kyle Jones and Kyle Anson each went one-for-four for Texas State.

UL-Lafayette got its offense from nearly every spot in the order, as JefferiesTatford went 3-for-3 at the plate with a run scored and an RBI. Josh Landry went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and McCarthy was 2-for-5 with two RBI. Hawke drove home three for the Cajuns on his first inning home run.

UL-Lafayette starter C.J. Blue picked up the win, moving his record to 2-0 on the year, and the Ragin' Cajuns stayed perfect on the year, improving to 10-0 in 2005. Bennett (2-1) was credited with the loss for the Bobcats, who fall to 10-3 on the year.

Texas State had two players named to the Mardi Gras Classic All-Tournament team, as Saturday's starter Bobby Sawicki and Bobcat second baseman Nolan Mast gained all-tourney honors. Sawicki pitched six innings giving up one run and five hits in Saturday's win over Marist, and Mast went three-for-12 in the three-day tournament, with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Mast also hit his second home run of the season Saturday. A listing of the entire tournament team is listed below.

Texas State will travel to Dallas Baptist Tuesday, with the first pitch between the Bobcats and Patriots set for 6:30 at Patriot Field in Dallas.

Mardi Gras Ball Baseball Classic All-Tournament Team P - Kevin Ardoin, Louisiana-Lafayette P - Bobby Sawicki, Texas State P - Chris Tracz, Marist C - John Slone, Miami (Ohio) 1B - Phillip Hawke, Louisiana-Lafayette 2B - Nolan Mast, Texas State 3B - Geoff Orr, Miami (Ohio) SS - Eric Radley, Marist OF - John Coker, Louisiana-Lafayette OF - Josh Landry, Louisiana-Lafayette OF - Travis Musolf, Marist DH - Jefferies Tatford, Louisiana-Lafayette Most Outstanding Player - Phillip Hawke, Louisiana-Lafayette