University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Cajuns Head to Marriott Houston Invitational
2/18/2010 4:36:00 PM | Softball
Marriott Houston Invitational
Dates: Feb.19-20
Times: Friday - 11 a.m. & 5 p.m. CT
Saturday - 9 a.m. & 11 a.m. CT
Sunday - 9 a.m. CT
Location: Cougar Softball Stadium - Houston, Texas
Live Stats: www.RaginCajuns.com
Radio: Steve Peloquin
SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM (KPEL-AM)
The Gator 690-AM (KROF-AM)
Game Day Story Lines
- The Cajuns are off to a 5-0 start after claiming the title at the 24th Annual Louisiana Classic last weekend. Over the course of the tournament, UL outscored the opposition, 52-4, inlcuding four shutouts and two run-rule victories.
- The Cajuns are one of six teams in the polls who are still undefeated after the opening weekend.
- Five Cajuns were named to the 24th Annual Louisiana Classic All-Tournament Team. Donna Bourgeois, Lana Bowers, Melissa Verde and Christ Orgeron grabbed the honors while VAllie Gaspard was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
- The Cajuns enter the Marriot Invitational with a 15-5 record against the tournament's field under co-head coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief. The Lotiefs hold winning records against Iowa State (1-0), Houston (10-3), UTSA (1-0) and Purdue (3-0). UL is 0-2 against Texas.
- Over the next 34 games, 30 will be on the road. The Cajuns will only play four home games from now until April 18.
- Five game in and the Cajuns have already belted eight home runs. Christi Orgeron leads the way with four and four other players have one each. Orgeron and Melissa Verde also both have reached double-digit RBI.
- UL's pitching staff has recorded 40 strikeouts while walking just seven in 111 at bats. Opponents are batting a paltry .126.
- Donna Bourgeois and Vallie Gaspard were named the Sun Belt's Pitcher and Player of the Week, respectively, after their performances at the 24th Annual Louisiana Classic.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, February 19
9:00 a.m. Iowa St. vs. Purdue
11:00 a.m. Louisiana vs. Iowa St. - KPEL 1420 AM ESPN RADIO
1:00 p.m. Purdue vs. Texas
3:00 p.m. UTSA vs. Texas
5:00 p.m. Louisiana vs. Houston - KROF 690 AM THE GATOR
7:00 p.m. Houston vs. UTSA
Saturday, February 20
9:00 a.m. Louisiana vs. Texas - KROF 690 AM THE GATOR
11:00 a.m. UTSA vs. Louisiana - KPEL 1420 AM ESPN RADIO
1:00 p.m. Texas vs. Iowa St.
3:00 p.m. UTSA vs. Purdue
5:00 p.m. Purdue vs. Houston
7:00 p.m. Houston vs. Iowa St.
Sunday, February 21
9:00 a.m. Louisiana vs. Purdue - KPEL 1420 AM ESPN RADIO
11:00 a.m. Iowa St. vs. UTSA
1:00 p.m. Texas vs. Houston
Scouting the Opposition
UL will face Iowa State, Houston, Texas, UTSA and Purdue at the Marriott Invitational.
Iowas State enters with a mark of 3-3 with wins over Minnesota, Iowa and Drake. As a team, the Cyclones are hitting .307. The pitching staff has a combined ERA of 3.70.
Houston is 2-3 on the year with wins over Sam Houston State and No. 14 Ohio State. The Cougars are hitting .167 and racked up a 3.97 team-ERA.
No. 20 Texas is 6-0 and will be the Cajuns first contest against a ranked opponent. The Longhorns grabbed wins over DePual, LSU and UNC. As a team, Texas hast posted a .235 batting average and a 0.65 ERA.
UTSA sits a 2-3 with wins over UTEP and Nebraska. In the batter's box, the Roadrunners are hitting .280 on the year. In the pitcher's circle, UTSA has a combined ERA of 8.09.
Purdue comes to Houston with a 1-4 record. Their sole win was against North Dakota State.
As a team, Purdue is batting .238 and has compiled a 2.83 team-ERA.
Cajuns Jump Up In The Polls
After starting the season 5-0, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team was rewarded by jump in the polls. The USA Today/NFCA Top-25 poll has the Cajuns ranked No. 16. The ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top-25 poll has the Cajuns at No. 18. Prior to this week the Cajuns were ranked No. 24 and No. 23, respectively.
Two Cajuns Grab Sun Belt Honors
Donna Bourgeois and Vallie Gaspard earned Sun Belt Pitcher and Player of the Week honors after their play at the 24th Annual Louisiana Classic.
Bourgeois started three games, winning them all with two shutouts and one combined shutout. She allowed just four hits and walk while striking out 18 and allowing no runs.
Gaspard started all five games in left field. In 14 at bats she recorded eight hits. She also scored eight runs, grabbed four RBI and was 2-for-2 on stolen bases. She posted a .571 batting average over the weekend.
UL Wins 24th Annual Louisiana Classic
The Cajuns outscored opponents 52-4 en route to a 5-0 victory and the title at the 24th Annual Louisiana Classic Tournament.
Five Cajuns were named to the 24th Annual Louisiana Classic All-Tournament Team. Donna Bourgeois, Lana Bowers, Melissa Verde and Christ Orgeron grabbed the honors while Vallie Gaspard was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Cajuns Picked First in Sun Belt
The Sun Belt Conference released its 2010 Sun Belt Preseason Softball Poll with UL receiving eight first-place votes by the league's nine head coaches.
The Ragin' Cajuns received 80 total points, followed by second-place Troy with 70. FIU came in third (58), followed by FAU (50), North Texas (41), WKU (39), South Alabama (36), Louisiana-Monroe (19), and Middle Tennessee (12).
UL Racks Up Preseason Awards
UL had a league-high five players selected to the Preseason All-Conference Team, with junior pitcher, Donna Bourgeois, claiming Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. It is the second consecutive year that a Cajun has claimed the honor. Current teammate Ashley Brignac earned the honor at the start of the 2009 season.
Bourgeois was the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year in 2009 after posting 30 wins in 41 appearances for UL. She earned SBC First Team Honors, Sun Belt All-Tournament team honors, was named Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-Region and was named All-Louisiana Pitcher of the Year by the LWSA.
Joining Bourgeois are Lana Bowers (Catcher), Melissa Verde (Third Base), Gabriele Bridges (Designated Player) and Vallie Gaspard (Outfielder)
Preseason All-Conference Team
Donna Bourgeois (Louisiana, Jr., P)
Ashlyn Williams (Troy, Jr., P)
Lana Bowers (Louisiana, Sr., C)
Mallory Cantler (North Texas, Jr., 1B)
Kelsey McCauley (WKU, Sr., 2B)
Melissa Verde (Louisiana, Sr., 3B)
Blair Bodenmiller (Florida Atlantic, Sr., SS)
Vallie Gaspard (Louisiana, Sr., OF)
Brianna Love (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., OF)
Mariza Martinez (North Texas, Jr., OF)
Gabriele Bridges (Louisiana, Jr., DP)
Preseason Co-Players of the Year
Blair Bodenmiller (Florida Atlantic, Sr., SS)
Brianna Love (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., OF)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Donna Bourgeois (Louisiana, Jr.)
Road Warriors
The Cajuns will spend a majority of the season on the road this year as Lamson Park undergoes a $2.1 million renovation.
UL will play only nine games at home in the first 40 games of the year.
Once the Louisiana Classics tournament ends on Feb. 14, the Cajuns will not return for a home match until March 9 (McNeese St.). UL will play only three games at home in the month of March.
New Digs
The 2010 season marks the beginning of a new era of softball at Louisiana.
The Cajuns' home field, Alfred and Helen Lamson park, will be undergoing a $2.1 million upgrade.
A new pressbox worthy of accomdating the needs of NCAA regional play, luxury boxes and 1,500 new seats between the dugouts highlights the most significant upgrades to the facility.
Larger and more functional lockerrroms will also be added, along with an technology-driven, enclosed batting cage area.
A larger, state-of-the-art scoreboard, as well as expanded outfield seating, is already in place.
A Model of Consistency...
When it comes to the NCAA Division I Women's Softball Championships, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball program has been a fixture over the past decade.
In 2009, Louisiana made its 11th straight NCAA Regionals appearance since 1999 and the 19th in the last 20 years. Since 1990, UL has missed the "Field of 64" only once (1998).
The Cajuns rank ninth in total NCAA appearances with 19, 10th with 47 NCAA Tournament victories and 10th for consecutive NCAA Regional appearances.
NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
School Appearances
1. Fresno State 28
2. UCLA 26
3. California 25
Cal State Fullerton 25
5. Arizona 23
6. Florida State 22
7. Arizona State 21
8. Texas A&M 20
9. Louisiana 19
Massachusetts 19
CONSECUTIVE NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
School Appearances
1. Fresno State 28 (1982-present)
2. California 24 (1986-present)
3. Arizona 23 (1987-present)
4. Massachusetts 15 (1995-present)
Cal State Fullerton 15 (1982-1996)
6. Oklahoma 14 (1994-2007)
Washington 14 (1994-2007)
8. Nebraska 13 (1995-2007)
UCLA 13 (1982-1994)
10. Louisiana 11 (1999-present)
Florida State 11 (1986-1996)
NCAA TOURNAMENT WINS
School Wins
1. UCLA 167
2. Arizona 129
3. Fresno State 84
4. California 75
5. Washington 62
6. Cal State Fullerton 59
7. Texas A&M 58
8. Michigan 55
9. Nebraska 46
10. Louisiana 45
Florida State 45
Another All-American
Karli Hubbard became the 20th different student-athlete to earn an All-American honor for the Ragin' Cajuns softball program when she was named third team All-American by the National Fastpitch Coaches' Association.
In the Cajuns' softball history, twenty different student-athletes, including Hubbard, have combined to give Louisiana its 37 All-American awards. Hubbard becomes the ninth All-American under co-head coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief.
The Ragin' Cajuns have had at least one player selected as an All-American in 18 of the last 21 seasons (1989-2009).
The Sun Belt's Best...
Karli Hubbard, Donna Bourgeois and Christi Orgeron picked up top honors, earning Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year, respectively, on the 2009 All-Sun Belt Conference Team.
Four Cajuns were named to the first team, while three players were tabbed second team.
Bourgeois was named first team pitcher, while her battery mate Lana Bowers was dubbed first team catcher for the second consecutive year. Melissa Verde was named first team all-conference at third base while Hubbard highlighted the first team outfield.
Gabriele Bridges joined Orgeron on the second team infield, while outfielder Katie Smith also earned all-conference accolades.
The All-Sun Belt honors for Hubbard marked the third time in her career the senior was rewarded by the conference for her performance on the field. The accolades for Bourgeois and Bowers marked the second time in their careers they were named all-conference. The award was the first of their careers for Bridges, Orgeron, Smith and Verde.
