The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns don't play a Sun Belt Conference game this week.

Yet, this might be the most important week of the season.

Louisiana (21-11) will face five in-state foes this week.  All of them have solid records and good RPI.

For those who don't know, RPI is a formula used to ascertain the strength of a team.  Half of the formula is your opponents' winning percentage.  A quarter is your winning percentage and a quarter is the winning percentage of the teams your opponents play.

As of Tuesday, the Cajuns' RPI is 23.  That puts them in solid position to be a #2 seed in an NCAA Regional.  If that happens, it will be the fourth straight season the Cajuns have been in postseason play, tying the school record set 1997-2000.

The Cajuns have played a solid schedule this season, having met Texas Tech (RPI 12), LSU (19), TCU (22), Rice (24), Northwestern State (32) and Tulane (48).

This week the Cajuns have five games against the RPI top 60.  Three of those games are on the road and road wins count more than home wins when calculating RPI.

What does all this mean?

The Cajuns will have their biggest opportunity of the season to solidify that #23 RPI and, with a really good week, move into the top 20.

Here's a breakdown of the week's games:

TUESDAY--TULANE (21-10) at the "Tigue":  Tulane used a pair of home runs to score all their runs in the sixth inning or later to take a 5-3 win over the Cajuns at Turchin Stadium back on March 8th.  Evan Guillory (2-3), who threw a complete game one hitter in his last outing, gets his second start against the Wave after allowing two runs on four hits in six innings of work in the first meeting.  J. P. France (2-0) has wins over Southern Miss and LSU in his last two starts.

WEDNESDAY--at NEW ORLEANS (18-14)  Maestri Field:  The Cajuns had a come-from-behind win against the Privateers back on March 1, winning 7-4.  UNO has lost six straight and nine of their last eleven but they are a dangerous club and have played especially well at home this year.  Neither team has announced a starter.  This team wasn't expected to be as good as they are.  Their success can only help the cause.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY--SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA (25-8)  Friday 6pm at the "Tigue", Saturday and Sunday at Alumni Field in Hammond.  It just so happens the two squads have their bye week this week and what better than to play against each other.  Southeastern can really, really pitch.  Their 2.32 ERA ranks third in the country.  Their weekend pitching is especially dangerous.  Lefties Kyle Cedotal, (4-3, 1.17) and Domenick Carlini (4-1, 1.40) have combined with righty Mac Sceroler (5-2, 2.30) to put up some scary numbers.  And, Kade Granier (3-0, 4 saves, 0.45) has been almost unhittable late in the game.  On top of that, Jameson Fisher (.490-8-40, .802 slugging pct.) is one of the country's best hitters.  Playing two of those games on the road will be a big RPI boon for the Cajuns....if they can find a way to win.

The Cajuns have struggled to score runs and runs will be at a premium this week.  The Cajuns will need good pitching performances and that defense that showed up last weekend in Statesboro needs to be exorcised if they are to have success.

The Cajuns don't have to go unbeaten this week, in fact, it's probably unrealistic to think that's going to happen.  But a winning record this week will do plenty to bolster the Cajuns' chances to be playing in June.

 

 

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