University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Sam Houston State
Cajuns Entertain Sam Houston State for Midweek Doubleheader
3/18/2014 2:57:00 PM | Softball
Date:Â March 19
Location:Â Lafayette, La.
Radio:Â ESPN 1420Â (Steve Peloquin & Bobby Neveaux)
Live Stats/Stream:Â Â www.RaginCajuns.com
Time: 4 p.m.
Game Notes
What's On Tap? The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns will host Sam Houston State of the Southland Conference for a non-conference midweek doubleheader on Wednesday, March 19 at Lamson Park. First pitch for game one of the doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m. with game two starting a half hour after the conclusion of the first. The game will be broadcast on ESPN1420 with Steve Peloquin on the call, and also on www.ESPN1420.com. Live stats and live stream will be available on www.RaginCajuns.com.
About the Opponents:  Sam Houston State dropped their Southland Conference opening series at Southeastern Louisiana, going 1-2 against the Lions in Hammond. The Bearkats won the finale of the series to break a three-game losing streak. They will play multiple midweek games this week, traveling to Houston to take on Texas Southern on Tuesday for a single game, before heading to Lafayette for the doubleheader against the Cajuns.
Last Time Out: The Ragin' Cajuns picked up a series win against the defending National Champion and current-ranked 13th team in the nation, the Oklahoma Sooners over the past week, going 2-1 behind a pair of tremendous pitching performances from Christina Hamilton. After falling to the Sooners 13-5 on Friday's series opener, the Cajuns got a complete game shutout and near no-hitter from Hamilton. Hamilton would toss the second game of the doubleheader and hold the Sooners to four hits and one run, picking up the series victory and improving the No. 23 Ragin' Cajuns to 17-6-1 on the season. Freshman Haley Hayden boosted the Cajuns offensively in the third game, driving in all three runs for the Cajuns, and Natalie Fernandez picked up six hits in nine at-bats over the weekend, scoring five runs. Fernandez also hit her first extra-base hit, a triple, since Feb. 12, 2011, with 201 singles coming during that span. Â
Leading off Strong: The Cajuns have a strong 1-2 punch at the front of their batting order in senior Natalie Fernandez and freshman Haley Hayden. Fernandez leads the Cajuns with a .467 batting average (35-for-75) and 33 runs scored, and Hayden is batting .366 with a team-high 29 RBI and nine home runs. Three times this season Fernandez has led the game off by reaching base and Hayden has homered in the next at-bat to give the Cajuns an early 2-0 lead (Lamar/March 6, Texas/Feb. 8, Rutgers/Feb. 23). The early-game success from Fernandez and Hayden have led to 23 runs for the Cajuns in the first inning. As a team, the Cajuns have gone 7-0 when scoring in the first inning, and have outscored opponents 23-9 in the opening frame of games.
Leading Off With Fernandez: Natalie Fernandez snapped her four-season long streak of no extra-base hits when she hit a triple in the third game of the Oklahoma series. Her streak spanned every one of her four collegiate seasons and had 201 singles between her double against Prairie View A&M on Feb. 12, 2011 and her triple on March 15, 2014 against Oklahoma. Fernandez has started the last 142 games, playing in 200 games with 206 hits.  Fernandez currently ranks sixth in the nation with 1.38 runs scored per game. Â
Fernandez Among Actives: Here is where Cajuns senior, Natalie Fernandez's career stats rank among active players:
| ## | D-I | Overall | D-I Leader | ## | |
| Games Played | 200 | 21st | 23rd | Madison Shipman, Tennessee | 215 |
| Batting Average | .396 | 16th | -- | Haylie McCleney, Alabama | .492 |
| Runs Scored | 160 | 7th | 13th | Lauren Chamberlian, Oklahoma | 186 |
| Hits | 206 | 17th | 30th | Jill Barrett, Tulsa | 263 |
Wallace Among Actives: Here is where Cajuns junior, Jordan Wallace's career stats rank among active players:
| ## | D-I | Overall | D-I Leader | ## | |
| Victories | 66 | 17t | 19th | Hannah Rodgers, Florida | 108 |
| Strikeouts | 624 | 17th | 21st | Whitney Canion, Baylor | 1,272 |
| Strikeouts/7 inn. | 8.7 | 6th | 8th | Miranda Kramer, IPFW | 9.68 |
| Shutouts | 16 | 33rd | 38th | Sara Moulton, Minnesota | 43 |
Say Hey! Haley Hayden: Freshman Haley Hayden has put together a strong start to her college career, batting .366 with 29 RBI on nine home runs, including a pair of multi-home run games against Memphis (2/15) and Rutgers (2/23). She currently ranks 12th in the country in home runs per game (0.38) and has the second-most home runs among freshmen, trailing Milly Martin of Campbell (11).
We've Got the Power: With two home runs against Oklahoma on March 14, the Cajuns were able to hold on to their national lead in home runs per game, averaging 1.63 homers a game, leading runner-up North Carolina by 0.15 home runs a game. The Cajuns lead the Sun Belt by 13 home runs and hold down the top four spots in the Sun Belt individual home run chase with Haley Hayden (9), Lexie Elkins (8), Sara Corbello (7) and Shelbi Redfearn (7).
Grabbing LSWA Honors: The Ragin' Cajuns picked up two of three LSWA honors for the past week, with senior Natalie Fernandez picking up co-Player of the Week Honors and Christina Hamilton was named the LSWA Pitcher of the Week after the Cajuns' series victory over Oklahoma. It was the second and third LSWA awards for the Cajuns this season, with freshman Haley Hayden earning Player of the Month honors for February.\
The Cajuns Not-So WIld Thing: Despite the resemblance to Rick "WIld Thing" Vaughn from the movie Major League with the black thick-rimmed glasses, Christina Hamilton has been the Cajuns most consistent pitcher thus far in 2014. The junior has compiled a 8-1 record with a 1.36 ERA while holding a 6.36 strikeout/walk ratio, and holding opponents to a .166 batting average. Hamilton put in her best weekend of the season against Oklahoma, bringing a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Saturday's opener and finishing with a one-hit shutout, and holding the Sooners scoreless for five innings in the second game of the day, picking up the win and going 2-0, and winning the Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week award for March 17.
Elkins Tops Lamar: Sophomore catcher Lexie Elkins posted the Cajuns' second seven-RBI game of the season, hitting two homers in a 3-for-4 effort against Lamar on March 6 at Lamson Park. The Victoria, Texas native came to the plate with the bases loaded in the sixth with the Cajuns just one run away from a mercy rule victory and did the most damage possible, hitting her first career grand slam, giving the Cajuns an 11-run lead and a 14-3 win over the Lady Cardinals.
Redfearn's Big Day: Senior Shelbi Redfearn put in the best single-game performance of her career when the Cajuns took on nationally ranked Baylor, also her former team. The native of Stillwater, Okla., drove in seven runs in the game with a three-run home run and a grand slam, to help lead the Cajuns past Baylor, 12-11. Redfearn gave the Cajuns an early 3-0 lead with her three-run shot in the first inning, and added to the lead in the fourth with her first career grand slam to make it 8-2. The Cajuns would need all seven runs she produced, defeating the Bears 11-10, holding off a late four-run charge.
What's Next? The Cajuns will head to Atlanta, Ga., to open up Sun Belt Conference action and take on conference newcomer Georgia State for the first time since 1997. The Cajuns and Panthers will open the weekend with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch for game one will be at 1 p.m. (EST) and will close out the series on Sunday with a single game, starting at noon (EST)
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