Cajuns Baseball Opens Fall Practice On Monday

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns baseball team is set to open fall practice in preparation for the 2015 season on Monday at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field. Fall practice will conclude with the Fall World Series scheduled for a best-of-three series from Nov. 17-21.

"Each year in athletics is unique, because the previous year means nothing and you have to forge forward," head coach Tony Robichaux said. "This year we have to replace a lot of players due to the draft. We are going to have to do a lot of teaching to get our new players caught up. I feel like this fall is going to be important because we have so many new players.

"The difference between this fall and last fall is the challenges have changed. Last year's challenge was to not get stagnated thinking we were going to be good already, and the guys did a good job of not sitting on their laurels and making it one game away from Omaha. The challenge this year is get all of the young guys through the learning curve and up to the high expectations that we have here. That's always the challenge when you bring in a lot of new players."

Louisiana will have to replace 11 starters from a year ago having lost seven position players and four starting pitchers. Junior All-American shortstop Blake Trahan is one of six position players returning with experience from the 2014 season, while the Cajuns welcome 25 new additions to the roster including 18 freshmen and seven transfers.

The Ragin' Cajuns also return seven arms from a pitching staff that posted 58 wins and a 3.50 ERA a year ago.

"The big thing for us is to get the new players as much experience as we can and kind of slow down the game for them," Robichaux added. "Most first-time guys come in and play the game fast when the game is already fast. We will also need to have our clubhouse gel together and have the new guys internalize our system. This fall could be ugly just because we have a lot of new guys learning a new system, so they are thinking and playing at the same time. We want to get them to the point where they just play."

The Cajuns have been split into two squads for the fall, the Bayou Boys and Swampers, as the players will compete for the annual Omaha Cup.

Intrasquad scrimmages between the Bayou Boys and Swampers are slated for 3 p.m. every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday of the week during fall practice except for the week of Oct. 20-25 which will be adjusted to Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday due to the Ragin' Cajuns Baseball Golf Tournament. Admission to the scrimmages is free. Follow the team on twitter @CajunsBaseball for time changes and postponements of intrasquad games.

"Our guys are ready for fall practice," Robichaux said. "We have been through a lot of individualized practice, and I know we are ready to start playing some games. We are way ahead in the individual areas and have accomplished a lot, but we are behind in the team aspect of the game, and this is a team game. We've been competing with the Bayou Boys and Swampers since day one of the school year. The competition now moves from grade checks, academics and team competitions to actually playing against each other."

Start time for the Fall World Series games is slated for 6 p.m. at "the Tigue". Check RaginCajuns.com and @CajunsBaseball for updates throughout the fall.

BAYOU BOYS (BLACK)

SWAMPERS (RED)

1	Tyler St. Philip	2B	1	Connor Toups	LHP
2	Adam Angelle	OF	4	Brian Mills	OF
4	Blake Trahan	SS	6	Orynn Veilon	RHP/OF
5	Riley Cooper	LHP	7	Nick Zaunbrecher	RHP
6	Nick Thurman	C	9	Alex Stringer	C
7	Kyle Clement	OF	10	Blaine Suehs	RHP
8	Derek Herrington	OF	12	Joe Robbins	SS
9	Harrison Fife	RHP	13	Brenn Conrad	2B
10	Ty Ewart	LHP/OF	14	Greg Milhorn	RHP
11	Trace Guidry	RHP	17	Gunner Leger	1B/LHP
12	Colton Lee	RHP	18	Evan Guillory	RHP
14	Kennon Fontenot	SS	19	Dylan Moore	RHP
15	Dylan Butler	OF	20	Greg Davis	1B/3B
17	Martin Anderson	RHP	21	Logan Stoelke	RHP
18	Trey Jeans	LHP	22	Evan Powell	UTL
19	Alex Shelton	RHP	23	Stefan Trosclair	2B
23	Joseph Trahan	1B/3B	24	Eric Carter	RHP
24	Brock Keener	C	27	Cole Jackson	OF
25	Michael Morvant	RHP	29	Chris Charpentier	RHP
30	Jevin Huval	RHP	33	Jam Williams	OF
31	Wyatt Marks	RHP
34	Will Bacon	RHP
41	Reagan Bazar	RHP

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

Players Mentioned

Martin Anderson

Adam Angelle

Reagan Bazar

Dylan Butler

Chris Charpentier

Kyle Clement

Brenn Conrad

Riley Cooper

Greg Davis

Trace Guidry

Greg Milhorn

Evan Powell

Joe Robbins

Alex Stringer

Nick Thurman

Connor Toups

Blake Trahan

Nick Zaunbrecher