Softball Preview: Georgia Southern

Games 24-26: #7 Louisiana (20-3, 5-1 SBC) vs. Georgia Southern (6-16, 0-3 SBC)
Monday, March 16 • 6 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
Saturday, March 17 (DH) • 4 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.

Game Notes: Louisiana
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM • Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP; Bobby Neveaux, color
TV: None
Live Stats
Live Video (purchase necessary)
Rosters: Louisiana | Georgia Southern
Statistics: Louisiana | Georgia Southern
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunSB
Opponents Twitter: @GSAthletics_SB

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 616-150-1 (13th season)   Record at Louisiana: Same

Georgia Southern: Annie Smith (Grinnell College, 1995)
Career Record: 116-87 (4th season)   Record at GASO: Same

QUICK TURNAROUND AS HOMESTAND CONTINUES
Just two days after completing a series sweep of UT Arlington, the No. 7 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team hosts Georgia Southern in a Sun Belt series set for Monday-Tuesday, March 16-17 at Lamson Park. The matchup with the Eagles continues a nine-game homestand that Louisiana began last Friday vs. UTA.

TIME IS PASSING QUICKLY
The Georgia Southern series takes Louisiana to the midway point of the 2015 regular season. After facing the Eagles, the Cajuns will have played 26 of what is now 50 scheduled games after the Northwestern State cancellation.

GETTING REACQUAINTED
Louisiana and Georgia Southern last met during the 1997 season in Marietta, Ga., at the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic.

WINNING THE WEEKEND
The Cajuns sweep of UT Arlington secured the second Sun Belt series win of 2015. Louisiana opened league play with a series win in Mobile vs. South Alabama March 7-8.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
The six home runs hit in the UT Arlington series opener tied the team record for a single game and was the first occurrence since Feb. 15, 2014 vs. Memphis. Kelsey Vincent's three home runs tied a school record, last accomplished by Shellie Landry on April 10, 2013.

TEAM EFFORT
It's not just one "star" carrying the load for the Ragin' Cajuns. All nine starters had reached double digit hits by the season's 18th game. In the UTA series, each starter had at least one hit and six had at least three hits. In terms of run production, eight different players had at least one RBI in the UTA series.

HOME WIN STREAK
Louisiana brings a 24-game home win streak at Lamson Park into the Georgia Southern series (dates back to 2014 Sun Belt Tournament). It's the longest win streak at Lamson Park since a 39-game streak that overlapped the 2011 and 2012 campaigns. The record win streak at Lamson Park is 53 games set over the 1993 and 1994 seasons.

SETTLED ON LINEUP
While most teams make numerous lineup changes early in the season, head coach Michael Lotief has found a lineup that he believes gives his team the best chance to succeed. With the exception of changes at designated player, all other eight spots in the lineup have remained the same since opening day.

MIGHTY SWINGS
The Ragin' Cajuns' lineup remains as powerful as ever. A season after hitting 90 home runs, the squad has already reached 39 through the first 23 games (1.70/game).

UP NEXT
Louisiana wraps up its homestand and hosts Troy in a Sun Belt series March 21-22.

LOUISIANA-GEORGIA SOUTHERN SERIES
Series Record: Louisiana leads 2-0
In Lafayette: 0-0
In Statesboro, Ga.: 0-0
Neutral: Louisiana leads 2-0
Current Streak: Louisiana won 2
Last Meeting: 3/28/97 in Marietta, Ga.
(Louisiana 10, Georgia Southern 2)

Last Meeting (March 28, 1997 in Marietta, Ga.)
The Ragin' Cajuns and Eagles met on the first day of the 1997 Georgia Tech Buzz Classic. It was then-USL's first contest in the event. Jennifer Clendenin was the winning pitcher as the Cajuns posted a 10-2 win over Georgia Southern. The win was the first of six straight in the Buzz Classic for the Cajuns before falling to Utah in the finale.

Series Notes
Only two prior meetings took place at a neutral site...Programs met in Columbia, S.C., in 1993 competing in the South Carolina Round Robin and in 1997 in Marietta, Ga., in the Georgia Tech Buzz Classic...First meeting as Sun Belt Conference foes...First time meeting on either school's campus...Both prior meetings took place during former head coach Yvette Girouard's tenure.

DIAMOND NOTES

• #ClimbingTheCharts: Jordan Wallace's two victories in the UTA series upped her career total to 82. Wallace, who presently stands fifth in program history, is just two (2) victories behind Melissa Coronado (84) for fourth place.

• #GoodAsGold: Christina Hamilton is undefeated in her last 16 Sun Belt starts, dating back to her true freshman season of 2011.

• #NothingIsFree: Jordan Wallace has surrendered only 10 hits over 49 innings pitched inside Lamson Park in 2015. She's allowed just 26 hits over 71.2 innings covering 14 appearances in 2015.

• #NotAnEasyOut: Opponents have found it tough to keep Haley Hayden, Shellie Landry, Lexie Elkins and Kelsey Vincent off the base path. The quartet has combined for 94 hits and 73 walks.

• #SecuringHerLegacy: With three (3) more strikeouts, Jordan Wallace will become a member of a group of only five (5) pitchers in program history to amass 800 strikeouts.

• #CatchMeIfYouCan: Louisiana is 19-1 when scoring first. The lone loss came on Sunday in the South Alabama series finale.

• #StartMeUp: The Ragin' Cajuns have scored in the first inning 12 times (11-1). Louisiana holds a 30-6 advantage in runs scored in the opening frame.

• #RockSolid: Haley Hayden (2B), DJ Sanders (SS) and Kelli Martinez (CF) - each debuting at their position - have helped solidify the "spine" of the team's defense. Thus, UL has committed only 12 errors through 565 chances (.979 FLD%).

• #FiveAndCounting: Louisiana's No. 7 ranking in the polls release on March 10 marked the fifth (5th) straight week inside the nation's Top 10. It's the longest stretch in the Top 10 since 2012.

• #SelectCompany: On Feb. 24, the Cajuns joined the Top 5 of the NFCA rankings for the first time since 2012, marking a climb in the poll for a third straight week.

• #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.

• #SameFaceNewPlace: Haley Hayden moved from center field to second base. Shellie Landry (right field in '14) is back in left field where she starred as a freshman.

• #SteppingInAtShort: A knee injury has 2014 starting shortstop Corin Voinche sidelined indefinitely. Freshman DJ Sanders, recently selected to the U.S. Junior National Team, is handling shortstop duties in Voinche's absence.

#GeauxCajuns

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Players Mentioned

Lexie Elkins

Christina Hamilton

Haley Hayden

Shellie Landry

Kelli Martinez

DJ Sanders

Alex Stewart

Kylee Jo Trahan

Kelsey Vincent

Jordan Wallace

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