Jam Williams smiles remembering last year’s crowd reaction at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field, whenever he reached base or came on in a pinch-running situation.
“They’d all be going, ‘Go Jam, go Jam,’ ” he said. “I loved it, loved every bit of it.”
That was as a true freshman, when the Farmerville native was the “designated runner” for Louisiana-Lafayette’s baseball squad. The moniker and the crowd reaction fit, as Williams was unquestionably the Ragin’ Cajuns’ on-base speedster.
But coach Tony Robichaux saw a lot more in the rangy 6-foot-3 Williams. He resisted the urge to place him at a junior college to gain everyday-player experience following last year’s 42-23 season.