Super Preview: Louisiana-Lafayette vs LSU – Sat 7 | Sun 6 | *Mon (TBA)

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns (42-21) vs. LSU Fighting Tigers (51-10) at Alex Box Stadium, Skip Bertman Field in Baton Rouge, LA.




It is Super Regional weekend in Alex Box Stadium! LSU hosts Louisiana-Lafayette in a best of 3 series for a trip to the College World Series in Omaha, NE. The Regional/Super Regional history runs deep between these two programs. LSU leads the post-season series 6 games to 1, with the most memorable day of all coming on June 2nd, 2002, in two of the most heated games in LSU history and the infamous Aaron Hill flying bat. LSU would escape the loser’s bracket and beat the Cajuns twice that day to advance to their 4th consecutive Super Regional.

The last post-season game between these teams was a 5-2 LSU victory in the 2013 Baton Rouge Regional championship in front of 11,838 fans. The LSU postseason attendance record of 12,153, which was set the following week against Oklahoma, could be in jeopardy on Saturday night with the demand for this 2015 Super Regional at an all-time high. Tickets on secondhand websites are selling as high as $300.



Game 1 is the only certainty we have for this Super Regional from a scheduling standpoint. The Saturday night game will be broadcast on ESPN2 and start at 7pm CT. Sunday night’s game will either be on ESPNU at 5pm or on ESPN2 at 6pm. Monday’s if necessary game has multiple possible starting times.

ESPN’s Coverage of the Super Regionals
Site: Baton Rouge, LA
Play-by-Play: Adam Amin
Color Commentary: Ben McDonald
On-Field: Kaylee Hartung







University of Louisiana at Lafayette Ragin Cajuns
Record: 42-21
Conference: 18-11, 3rd in Sun Belt
Non-Conf: 16-9
Home: 19-9
Away: 17-10
Neutral: 6-2

How They Got Here:
Sun Belt Tournament Champions – lost to Texas State; defeated Troy, UT Arlington, Texas State x2, and #1 seed South Alabama
Houston Regional Champions – defeated Rice 7-6, Houston 2-1, and Rice 5-2



Team Overview:
Tony Robichaux has lead the Cajuns to their 3rd consecutive NCAA regional appearance and 2nd Super Regional in as many years. After losing a ton of talent from a team that represented the #6 national seed in 2014, the Cajuns took a step back this year, finishing 3rd in the Sun Belt conference. However, Lafayette has gotten hot at the right time of the year and found themselves back in the Super Regional round and a pair of wins away from Omaha. The Cajuns have won 8 games in a row and allowed 2 runs or less in 6 of those contests. Their rotation of all freshman hurlers, along with a few key relievers, has been their backbone all year, and the team era of 3.33 ranks 42nd in the nation. Two of their pitchers, Leger and Moore were named to Louisville Slugger’s Freshmen All-American team.



Full credit to Cajun8 for posting the following information; I think he covered it well: Leger is the ace. Finesse throwing Lefty, can get up to 91-92 but works hitters really well with off-speed. Doesn't walk many batters at all. 2.87 ERA 106.2 IP 83 K only 19 BB. Wyatt Marks has turned into the #2 over the last few weeks of the regular season and into Post-season. He is a Power throwing Righty. Sits 91-93 with a great slider and curve. Has a bulldog mentality. 3.32 ERA 60 IP and 63 K only 16 BB. Evan Guillory started the season as the Friday guy, ended as the Sat/Sun guy. Guillory is a smooth throwing Righty. He won't overpower anyone, but he works hitter pretty well and usually gets us to the 5th inning with the game close. Manages base runners really well. Started the season with a 5+ era but the Cajuns are 8-2 in his last 10 starts.



Closer Dylan Moore was named to the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American team after recording a school record 13 saves this season. The 6’4 freshman from Texas only throws his fastball about 87mph, but Moore hides the ball exceptionally well for a right handed pitcher and a jerk in his motion makes the ball even more difficult to pick up. Long relievers Will Bacon, Colton Lee, and Greg Milhorn are the other main relievers for the Cajuns. Will Bacon, a junior from Baton Rouge, has a (mostly) side arm delivery and has picked up 6 wins and 2 saves on the year. Milhorn is a sinker baller with over a 2/1 groundout to flyout ratio.



Blake Trahan is the leader of the Cajun offense despite being 4th on the team in average. Trahan has been named to at least one All-American list in each of his three seasons in Lafayette and is expected to have his named called early on in the MLB draft this weekend. The other middle infielder Stefan Trosclair was also named to the 3rd Team All-American team by Louisville Slugger. Trosclair’s 16 home runs is 10th most in the country. Of note: he hits for a .379 average against RHP and just .250 against LHP. Kyle Clement is the average leader for the Cajuns with a .343 average. Lafayette as a team has the 7th most sacrifice bunts in the nation. They rank 40th in walks, 32nd in doubles, and 20th in home runs.

On the bases, Lafayette has stolen 81 bags on the season, which is the 40th most in the country. Blake Trahan leads the team in the stolen base category with 17, and Stefan Trosclair is right behind him with 15 SBs.



Lafayette fields a decent .970 on the season. Their 52 double plays turned are 47th most in the country. Blake Trahan is the leader of the defense and has made just 9 errors at the shortstop position. Catcher Nick Thurman has thrown out 20 of 61 attempting base stealers.


Links
ULL Season Stats
ULL Roster
ULL Schedule (via Warren Nolan)
NCAA Interactive Bracket
LSUsports.net Super Regional Information Page
Article: Shortstop Skirmish – Who will come out on top?
D1 Baseball’s Preview
Video: SEC Network’s Super Regional Preview