LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball team opens a season-long, eight-game homestand on Friday when it hosts Campbell University in a three-game series at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
First pitch for Friday’s opening game is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series resumes on Saturday at 2 p.m., before concluding on Sunday at 1. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and can be heard in the Lafayette area on KPEL-FM (96.5) and on the Varsity Network app.
Louisiana (6-2) opens the month of March playing 14 of its scheduled 18 games on its home turf. The meeting with Campbell (6-1), which participated in the NCAA Knoxville Regional, is the first between the schools on the baseball diamond.
Senior Jake Hammond (0-0, 1.74 ERA) will take the mound in Friday’s opener with Tommy Ray (1-0, 0.00 ERA) earning the start on Saturday and Jackson Nezuh (0-0, 17.05 ERA) starting in the finale.
CJ Willis (.409-0-9), Heath Hood (.400-1-7) and Conor Higgs (.400-0-1) lead Louisiana at the plate.
Campbell, which opens a nine-game roadtrip with stops at Tulane, App State and Coastal Carolina, swept Butler with three comeback wins to complete the sweep. The Fighting Camels trailed 4-0 after six innings on Friday, 5-1 after two innings on Saturday, and 9-2 in the middle of the seventh on Sunday. The Camels outscored Butler 27-1 from the seventh inning and later across the series.
Right-hander Cade Kuehler (1-0, 5.40 ERA) will open the series on the mound for Campbell with Chance Daquila (2-0, 5.40 ERA) getting the start on Saturday. The Camels will send right-hander Ernie Day (0-0, 6.75 ERA) to the mound in the finale on Sunday.
Single-game tickets are available by visiting the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome or purchasing by visiting Account Manager [am.ticketmaster.com]. For more information call the Louisiana Athletics Box Office at the Cajundome at (337) 265-2104.
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GAMES 9-11 PREVIEW
Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (6-2) vs. Campbell Fighting Camels (6-1)
DATES/TIMES (time is subject to change)
Friday, March 3 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 4 – 2 p.m.
Sunday, March 5 – 1 p.m.
LOCATION/SITE
M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park (6,015) | Lafayette, La.
PITCHING MATCHUP
FRIDAY – 6 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Jake Hammond, 6-3, 230, Sr., Monroe, La.)
‘23 Stats: 0-0, 1.74 ERA, 10.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 11 K, .194 OppBA
CAMPBELL | RH Cade Kuehler (6-0, 215, Jr. Waxhaw, N.C.)
‘23 Stats: 1-0, 5.40 ERA, 10.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 8 BB, 16 K, .237 OppBA
SATURDAY – 2 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Tommy Ray (6-5, 215, Jr., Quincy, Ill.)
‘23 Stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, .125 OppBA
CAMPBELL | RH Chance Daquila (6-3, 220, R-Jr., Mount Pleasant, N.C.)
‘23 Stats: 2-0, 5.40 ERA, 10.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 10 K, .184 OppBA
SUNDAY – 1 p.m.
LOUISIANA | RH Jackson Nezuh (6-1, 180, Jr., St. Cloud, Fla.)
‘23 Stats: 0-0, 17.05 ERA, 6.1 IP, 12 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 5 BB, 8 K, .414 OppBA
CAMPBELL | RH Ernie Day (6-4, 230, Jr., Chicago, Ill.)
‘23 Stats: 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 9.1 IP, 7 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 12 K, .219 OppBA
RANKINGS
Louisiana – Receiving Votes (USA Today Coaches’ Poll)
Campbell – Receiving Votes (NCBWA, USA Today Coaches’ Poll)
RADIO/TV/LIVE STATISTICS
RADIO
Friday
5:30 p.m. (Pregame) / 6 p.m. (First Pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM (96.5)/ The Varsity Network App
Talent – Ian Auzenne (pxp); Brad Topham (color)
Saturday
1:30 p.m. (Pregame) / 2 p.m. (First Pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM (96.5)/ The Varsity Network App
Talent – Ian Auzenne (pxp); Brad Topham (color)
Sunday
12:30 p.m. (Pregame) / 1 p.m. (First Pitch)
Station – KPEL-FM (96.5)/ The Varsity Network App
Talent – Ian Auzenne (pxp); Brad Topham (color)
STREAMING
ESPN+
Talent: Dan McDonald (pxp); Brennan Breaux (color – Friday), Scott Brazda (color – Saturday/Sunday)
LIVE STATS
CajunStats.com
SERIES RECORD
Overall: First meeting
In Lafayette: First meeting
In Buies Creek: Never met
Neutral Sites: Never met
DIAMOND NOTES
• Louisiana opens the month of March hosting Campbell University in a three-game series at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
• The weekend series is part of a season-long, eight-game homestand for Louisiana and features a matchup of 2022 NCAA Regional participants (Louisiana at College Station; Campbell at Knoxville).
• Louisiana is scheduled to play 14 of its 18 games in the month of March within the friendly confines of #TheTigue.
• Heath Hood, Kyle DeBarge, Julian Brock and Carson Roccaforte have reached base safely in all eight games this season.
• Hood has reached safely in 25 straight games dating back to the 2022 season.
• The Ragin’ Cajuns are 4-1 in one-run games through the first eight games of the season.
• Louisiana was picked to finish fourth in the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
• Through the first four home games at #TheTigue in 2023, Louisiana is 15th nationally in average attendance (3,976) in the initial NCAA Division I Baseball Report.
• Louisiana picked up three quality starts last weekend against BYU after not getting its first QS last season until March 13, 2022.
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