UL baseball ranked 10th nationally in average attendance

The UL baseball team ranks 10th nationally in average attendance so far early this season, according to figures compiled by Wichita State’s sports information department and released on a weekly basis.

UL is averaging 3,557 per home game, according to the report.

The Ragin Cajuns finished 10th nationally in attendance with an actual count of 3,789 per game last year, when it went 58-10, was ranked No. 1 in the country at the end of the regular season, finished No. 7 and was ousted by Ole Miss from the NCAA Super Regional it hosted.

The 10-5 Cajuns — whose scheduled home game against the University of New Orleans on Tuesday night was postponed until April 29 due to weather — are the only team from a mid-major conference currently listed in the Top 10 attendance-wise.

UL is scheduled to take its current six-game win streak to Southern University in Baton Rouge for a non-conference game Wednesday night, weather permitting.

The Cajuns changed the number they report from actual attendance to paid attendance earlier this season.

The switch was made so that it’s in line with how most programs now report, a UL spokesman said.

The paid number is higher than the actual number in part due to numerous seats that are bought but that go unused at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field, especially in chair-back sections behind home plate.

UL announced a crowd of 4,272 for its Sun Belt Conference series-sweeping win over Troy last Sunday, for instance, but there were far fewer than that actually in attendance.

Capacity at The Tigue is listed at 3,755.

The count now being released, UL associate athletics director John Dugas said Tuesday, is in line with how the Cajuns also report attendance for its football and men’s basketball programs.

For those sports, according to Dugas, that includes actual paid tickets, plus “the number of students in attendance at that game, suiteholders and Young Ragin’ Cajun Club (members).”

“We add those four together,” Dugas said, “and that gives us the number we release.”

The Cajuns also have sold more season tickets this year than they did last year, with more than 2,400 this season — up from 2,365 in 2014.

LSU, ranked No. 1 in the country by Baseball America, currently leads the country in average attendance at 10,431.

That’s also paid attendance, not actual.

LSU used to release both paid and actual attendance figures, but no longer does.

Six of college baseball’s highest-drawing teams are from SEC schools. They all play in stadiums with capacities higher than that of The Tigue, and all report paid — not actual — attendance.

The remainder of the Top 10 in attendance this week: No. 2 Arkansas (7,430), No. 3 South Carolina (7,259), No. 4 Ole Miss (7,161), No. 5 Mississippi State (6,955), No. 6 Texas (5,112), No. 7 Clemson (4,426), No. 8 Florida State (4,195) and No. 9 Texas A&M (3,763).

Ranouts

The UL baseball team’s game against the University of New Orleans, originally scheduled for Tuesday night, was postponed due to weather issues.

The makeup game will be played at 6 p.m. April 29 at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

Both season tickets and individual tickets for Tuesday night’s game will be honored for the April 29 rescheduled date. Spectators who want an individual-ticket refund must seek one at the original point of sale, according to the school.

Individual game tickets for the rescheduled date are on sale now at the Cajundome Box Office.

The UL softball team’s game at Northwestern State scheduled for Wednesday has also been canceled because of the weather.

UL (10-5) at SOUTHERN (2-9)

WHAT: Single non-conference game

WHERE: Lee-Hines Field (1,000), Baton Rouge

WHEN: 6 p.m. Wednesday

TV: Cox Sports Television (CST)

RADIO: KPEL 96.5 FM with Jay Walker (no pregame show)

ABOUT THE CAJUNS: UL has won six straight, including all three games of last weekend’s Sun Belt Conference-opening home series against Troy. … Connor Toups had been scheduled to start Tuesday vs. New Orleans, and Chris Charpentier had been scheduled to pitch against Southern, but with the UNO game rained out the Cajuns had no decision on a Wednesday starter as of Tuesday afternoon. … C Nick Thurman is hitting a team-leading .426; 1B Greg Davis has a team-high 15 RBI.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT: Southern of the SWAC snapped a four-game losing streak by beating South Dakota State in the final game of last weekend’s four-game non-conference home series. … LF Tyler Kirksey hits a team-high .429; RF D.J. Wallace has a team-leading eight RBI. … UL leads the all-time series vs. Southern 49-23-1, including a 17-3 home win last season and an 11-2 record under Tony Robichaux.