Rally In Ninth Not Enough As Cajuns Fall To Tulane 7-6

April 21, 2004

NEW ORLEANS- A ninth inning rally wasn’t enough as Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns ran into a hot mid-week pitcher in Billy Mohl Wednesday night at Zephyr Field dropping the contest by a 7-6 final to the Tulane Green Wave. With the loss, Louisiana falls to 24-12 on the year.

Brandt Sanders got the loss throwing the first four innings giving up four runs on six hits while fanning three. Sanders (1-2) made his second mid-week start in two weeks with tonight’s outing.

Mohl picked up the win throwing eight innings giving up two runs on six hits while striking out two. Mohl (6-2) did not allow a Cajuns run in five straight innings after surrendering a pair in the third.

The Tulane starter worked quickly to retire the Cajuns in order, throwing only eight pitches in the top of the first.

The Green Wave jumped out to an early 3-0 lead when Nathan Southard started the bottom of the first with a walk and was doubled around to third by second baseman Joe Holland for the Green Wave. Greg Dini singled to center to score both base runners. Dini took second on a slow-rolling groundout to second. Wes Swackhammer singled to score Dini, but was caught trying to take second base on the play.

Ryan Core singled through the right side with two gone in the second giving the Cajuns their first base runner, but Mohl got an infield ground out to finish the inning.

Tommy Manzella homered in the bottom of the second to give Tulane a 4-0 lead.

The Cajuns scored two in the top of the third after Micah Cockrell laced a double down the third base line to open the inning. John Coker advanced the runner to third on a groundout to the pitcher. Cockrell scored on an RBI single up the middle off the bat of Justin Merendino.

A Josh Landry single to right put runners on the corners just before a Justin Bourque sacrifice fly plated Merendino cutting the Tulane lead in half.

Dini drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the third, but the Cajuns turned a 3-6-3 double ply to get out of the inning.

Patrick Green gave up a looping single, but got out of the inning after coming on in relief of Cajuns starter Brandt Sanders in the bottom of the fifth.

Core knocked a one-out single to center in the top of the seventh, but Mohl escaped the inning after a couple of hard-hit balls to center.

Tulane reclaimed a four-run lead as Bogusevic tripled to the wall in center to start the bottom of the seventh just before Kraig Schambough entered the game to pitch.

Manzella singled to center to score the run for Tulane. Scott Madden put down a sacrifice bunt to move Manzella to second. Manzella scored on a single to the right side off of Holland’s bat upping the Green Wave lead to 6-2.

Swackhamer made it 7-2 with a double off the wall scoring Brian Bormaster who reached base on a bunt single off of Cajuns reliever Jeff Morgan.

A single and a base on balls loaded the pads for the Green Wave, but Morgan got Nathan Southard to tap into a double play to quell the threat.

Daniel Latham came in to work the ninth for Tulane. Latham surrendered a single to Brad Saloom who came around to score on Rhett Buras’s double to the wall in center. Jason Rodriguez scored Buras with a double down the line in left.

Cockrell homered to score two more making it a one-run game, but the Green Wave would hold on to take this one by a 7-6 final.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will fly out bound for Miami tomorrow for a weekend series with Florida International. Friday’s game is set for 6 p.m. CDT with Saturday and Sunday’s games starting at 12 p.m. CDT.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --