Cajun baseball begins spring preps

With the start of the spring semester Wednesday, the defending Sun Belt Champion Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team resumed preparations for the 2017 season with spring practice at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field at Russo Park.
The Cajuns have five weeks of practice before opening the season at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at Southeastern Louisiana University. Louisiana will go through conditioning and individual work until Jan. 27 when the squad holds its first team practice. All practices are closed to the public due to construction at Russo Park.
“Really glad to be back out on the field getting ready for the season,” Louisiana Head Baseball Coach Tony Robichaux said in a news release. “We have a lot of work to do to get ready, but I have the confidence that this group will get there come opening day. We have a lot of potential this season, but that doesn’t win games for you. It’s going to take a lot of hard work and effort to live up to our potential.”
The Ragin’ Cajuns return five starters from the field and all four of its starting pitchers from a team that won 43 games a year ago. The squad also added 13 newcomers, including six junior college transfers.
Junior Dylan Moore recently was named a Perfect Game/Rawlings Preseason First-Team All-American. The honor is the second of the preseason for the Hughes Springs, Texas, native, who also was named a Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball Preseason Second-Team All-American in December.
“I’m glad for D-Mo to be recognized for his hard work and effort,” Robichaux said. “He’s the perfect example of a student-athlete with the way he works hard both on and off of the field. If you do that, the game will always pay you back.”
Berwick High School senior pitcher Chris Charpenter is a senior pitcher on this year’s Louisiana squad.
Louisiana will open the season ranked for the third time in the last five seasons, coming in at No. 13 in the Perfect Game preseason rankings. The Cajuns were tabbed No. 14 in the Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season Top 40.
The Ragin’ Cajuns open their home slate March 3, when they host Southern Miss in a three-game series at Russo Park.
Season tickets go sale Jan. 27 to the public. Fans who wish to renew their season tickets from the 2016 season have until Jan. 20 to do so. For more information, contact the Cajundome Ticket Office at 337-265-2357 or ultickets@cajundome.com.
For updates and info on Ragin’ Cajuns baseball, follow the team on twitter @RaginCajunsBSB or check RaginCajuns.com.