Softball Preview: Ragin' Cajuns Invitational

Games 10-14: Ragin' Cajuns Invitational
Friday, Feb. 20 • 2:30 p.m. (CST) • Iowa • Lamson Park
Friday, Feb. 20 • 5 p.m. (CST) • Hofstra • Lamson Park
Saturday, Feb. 21 • 12:30 p.m. (CST) • Hofstra • Lamson Park
Saturday, Feb. 21 • 3 p.m. (CST) • Missouri State • Lamson Park
Sunday, Feb. 22 • 2:30 p.m. (CST) • McNeese State • Lamson Park (MyKLAF/ESPN3)

Game Notes: Louisiana
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM | Live Stats | Live Video
Rosters: Louisiana | Hofstra | Iowa | McNeese State | Missouri State
Statistics: Louisiana | Hofstra | Iowa | McNeese State | Missouri State
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunSB
Opponents Twitter: @HofstraSoftball | @IowaSoftball | @McNeeseSoftball | @MSUSoftball

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 605-147-1 (13th season)   Record at Louisiana: Same

Hofstra: Larissa Anderson (Gannon, 1997)
Career Record: 2-3 (1st season)   Record at Hofstra: Same

Iowa: Marla Looper (Florida State, 1995)
Career Record: 103-109-1 (5th season)   Record at Iowa: Same

McNeese State: Joanna Hardin (Biola University, 2005)
Career Record: 7-3 (1st season)   Record at McNeese: Same

Missouri State: Holly Hesse (Creighton, 1982)
Career Record: 680-670-2 (27th season)   Record at Missouri State: Same

HOMESTAND COMES TO A CLOSE
No. 6 Louisiana plays the final leg of its season-opening, 14-game homestand Friday-Sunday, Feb. 20-22 hosting the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational at Lamson Park. The tournament field includes Hofstra, Iowa, McNeese State and Missouri State. UL is 9-0 during the homestand, after clean sweeps of the Louisiana Classics and Mardi Gras Classic. A matchup with Iowa at 2:30 p.m., on Friday kicks off the weekend.

STILL GOING STRONG
Jordan Wallace continued her strong start to the 2015 season, allowing only one hit and striking out 30 in 16 innings of work during the Mardi Gras Classic. Wallace (3-0, 1 SV, 0.00 ERA, 46 K) faced just seven batters over the minimum the entire weekend and struck out 30 of the 55 total batters faced (named SBC Pitcher of the Week 2/16).

MIGHTY SWINGS
Louisiana has hit 20 home runs over the season's first nine games. Haley Hayden and Shellie Landry top the squad with five home runs apiece. Six of the Cajuns nine starters have clubbed at least one home run.

CORE FOUR DRIVING OFFENSE
The quartet of Aleah Craighton (.531), Meagan Thomas (.500), Haley Hayden (.483) and Kelli Martinez (.440) are each batting .400-plus.

CRAIGHTON CONTINUES CHARGE
Redshirt freshman Aleah Craighton led the Cajuns with 10 hits in the Mardi Gras Classic. She went 10-for-20 with a double, triple, two home runs and seven RBI. That followed up an impressive debut of two doubles and two home runs in the Louisiana Classic.

STEWART STILL STEADY
Alex Stewart continued to show she's ready to support Jordan Wallace and Christina Hamilton in the circle. Stewart retired 19 of the final 20 Idaho State hitters faced last Friday, then proved she can wiggle out of trouble, stranding nine ISU runners in a combined shutout with Wallace on Saturday. In four starts, Stewart has allowed nine hits and struck out 23 in 18 innings.

NOTHING IS FREE
Cajuns pitching continued its hot start in 2015, surrendering just eight walks while striking out 53 over 33 innings in the Mardi Gras Classic. For the season, UL pitching has surrendered just 21 hits, walked 13 and struck out 91 batters in 55 innings.

ON THE VERGE OF NO. 700
Louisiana is within four wins of 700 all-time at Lamson Park. The Ragin' Cajuns currently stand at 696-102-1 all-time at the facility (1985-present).

UP NEXT
The No. 6-ranked Ragin' Cajuns take to the road for the first time, traveling to Tuscaloosa, Ala., for a potential Top 10 showdown with No. 3 Alabama. The traditional powers are set to collide in a three-game series, Friday-Sunday, Feb. 27-March 1.

DIAMOND NOTES

• #OnTheMove: The Ragin' Cajuns moved up to No. 6 in both the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 (previous No. 7) and ESPN.com/USA Softball (previously No. 8) Top 25 polls.

• #Consistency: The Ragin' Cajuns batting lineup remained unchanged during the Mardi Gras Classic and has remained the same since the Feb. 7 Eastern Illinois game when Meagan Thomas took over as designated player (last seven games).

• #SameFaceNewPlace: Haley Hayden, last season's center fielder, is making herself at home at second base. She has fielded cleanly in 18 chances so far. Shellie Landry, in right field a year ago, is back in left field where she starred as a freshman.

• #DepthOnDisplay: Louisiana has utilized four pitchers in the circle. Alex Stewart and Kylee Jo Trahan have stepped up while Jordan Wallace and Christina Hamilton (shoulder ailments) began the season working on pitch counts.

• #Foreshadowing: Using Alex Stewart and Kylee Jo Trahan in the opening weekends allows the coaching staff an opportunity to begin to develop the pitchers who will lead the program after the graduation of Jordan Wallace and Christina Hamilton.

• #TurningTheTable: Freshman Kelli Martinez showed she is capable of replacing Natalie Fernandez as the featured slap hitter in the lineup. Martinez, hitting ninth, has helped turn over the lineup hitting .440 (11-of-25) over the first two weekend.

• #MakingAnImpact: She wasn't in the opening day lineup, but slap hitter Meagan Thomas is quietly becoming a key cog in the lineup. Hitting seventh and batting .500 (10-of-20), she's joined Kelli Martinez in turning the lineup over to the sluggers.

• #RediscoveringTheMagic: Shellie Landry's five home runs match her season total from 2014. She's tied with Haley Hayden for the team lead.

• #ChallengingSchedule: The 2015 schedule features three series (Alabama, Baylor and Oregon) against Women's College World Series participants from a season ago. Overall, the Cajuns will play 16 games against 2014 NCAA Regional teams.

#GeauxCajuns

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Players Mentioned

Aleah Craighton

Natalie Fernandez

Christina Hamilton

Haley Hayden

Shellie Landry

Kelli Martinez

Alex Stewart

Meagan Thomas

Kylee Jo Trahan

Jordan Wallace