Softball Preview: at Texas State

Games 30-32: #9/8 Louisiana (25-4, 10-2 SBC) at Texas State (20-13, 5-3 SBC)
Saturday, March 28 (DH) • 1 p.m. (CDT) • Bobcat Softball Stadium (1,000) • San Marcos, Texas
Sunday, March 29 • 12 p.m. (CDT) • Bobcat Softball Stadium (1,000) • San Marcos, Texas

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

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 621-151-1 (13th season) Record at Louisiana: Same

Texas State: Ricci Woodard (New Mexico State, 1991)
Career Record: 504-332-1 (15th season) Record at TXST: Same

CAJUNS SET FOR FIRST TRIP TO SAN MARCOS
No. 9 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball travels to San Marcos, Texas for the first time in program history to compete in a three-game Sun Belt series. Games with Texas State are scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, March 28-29 at Bobcat Softball Stadium.

WINNING THE WEEKEND
The Ragin' Cajuns are 4-for-4 in collecting Sun Belt series victories (2-1 vs. USA; 3-0 vs. UTA; 3-0 vs. GASO; 2-1 vs. TROY).

LEXIE'S ON TIME
Lexie Elkins is beginning to get her timing fine tuned at the plate. The junior catcher went 5-for-7 with two home runs and six RBI in the sweep of Georgia Southern last Tuesday. She ended the week 9-for-17 with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBI. She is batting .500 (19-of-38) and slugging 1.053 with six homers and 19 RBI in March.

TEAM EFFORT
It's not just one "star" carrying the load for the Ragin' Cajuns. The Georgia Southern series was a testament, as in each game of the series four different players posted multiple hits and each starter had at least one base hit. For the season, each starter in the lineup has posted at least 18 hits (ranges from 18-36).

ROCK SOLID DEFENSE
Louisiana has played error-free in 18 of 29 games, including eight of the last nine. The Cajuns have committed only 13 errors through 714 chances (545 PO, 156 A, 13 E) for .982 fielding percentage (ranks No. 4 in nation).

STOPPING THEM IN THEIR TRACKS
Both Jordan Wallace (2.41/1st) and Christina Hamilton (4.68/39th) rank Top 40 nationally in fewest hits allowed per seven innings.

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. No. 1-5 in the lineup has remained the same since opening day. No. 6-9 in the batting order was the same Feb. 7-Mar. 17. The lone switch since opening weekend came last Saturday vs. Troy when the right field (Craighton) and designated player (Maly) slots were swapped from No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.

CHRISTINA'S SUN BELT CONFERENCE STREAK
Christina Hamilton is undefeated in her last 19 Sun Belt Conference starts (dates back to 2011 season). Hamilton is 20-1 in career starts in Sun Belt contests.

JORDAN CLIMBING STRIKEOUTS CHART
Presently at 817 career strikeouts, Jordan Wallace is four strikeouts shy from passing Kyla Hall (820) into third place on the career listing.

UP NEXT
A midweek game at McNeese State is set for Wednesday, April 1 in Lake Charles. The Cajuns return to Lamson Park on Good Friday (April 3) for a series with Georgia State.

LOUISIANA-TEXAS STATE SERIES
Series Record: Louisiana leads 20-2
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads 14-2
In San Marcos, Texas: 0-0
Neutral: Louisiana leads 6-0
Current Streak: Louisiana won 7
Last Meeting: 3/30/14 at Lamson Park
(Louisiana 8, Texas State 3)

Last Season's Series (March 29-30, 2014 at Lamson Park)
Jordan Wallace and Christina Hamilton pitched complete games as Louisiana swept the Saturday doubleheader by a 5-2 count in both games. UL broke a 1-1 tie in game one with a two-run single by Lexie Elkins in the third inning, then added RBI singles from Corin Voinche (fourth) and Natalie Fernandez (sixth). In game two, a two-run home run by Samantha Walsh sparked a three-run, third inning which created distance. The Cajuns rallied for the win on Sunday, scoring seven runs in the sixth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit. Walsh tied the game with a two-run single, then Kendall Smith scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

Series Notes
First-ever meetings at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos...Second Sun Belt series...Cajuns swept initial Sun Belt series last season at Lamson Park...Programs first met in a doubleheader at Lamson Park in February 1986, then one day later in Houma, La., in a tournament...Met in Texas-based regular season tournaments in 1988 and 1989 plus Lamson Park doubleheaders in 1990 and 1994...Met in single games in 2000, 2002 and 2004 at Lamson Park...Cajuns won elimination games in 2009 NCAA Waco Regional and 2011 Austin Regional...Louisiana won the first 12 meetings prior to a 4-2 Texas State win April 19, 2000...Ragin' Cajuns have won eight of the last 10 meetings.

DIAMOND NOTES

• #OneMoreForFourth: Jordan Wallace is one win shy of taking sole possession of fourth place in career victories. Wallace, with 84 career victories, is presently tied with Melissa Coronado for the fourth place slot.

• #SweepingUpAtShort: True freshman DJ Sanders is providing a glimpse of how good defensively she will be for the Cajuns as her career progresses. She's made just one error through the first 82 chances that have come her way (41 PO, 40 A, 1E).

• #NotAnEasyOut: Opponents have found it tough to keep Haley Hayden, Shellie Landry and Lexie Elkins off the base path. The Cajuns' 1-2-3 hitters have combined for 100 hits and 65 walks. Add in a combined five times being hit by a pitch, they've been on base a combined 170 times in a combined 343 plate appearances.

• #BannerSeason: Shellie Landry is three home runs shy of tying her personal season-best 15 hit as a freshman in 2015.

• #LeadingTheCharge: Lexie Elkins and Shellie Landry top the Cajuns with 12 home runs apiece, which ranked No. 9 in the nation this week.

• #WelcomeAboard: Haley Hayden reached base each game of both the Georgia Southern and Troy series, extending her reached-base streak to a career-best 18 games.

• #NationsFinest: Entering the week, Louisiana ranked Top 10 in the NCAA stats in: fielding percentage (4th), ERA (6th), home runs per game (8th) and scoring (8th).

• #CatchMeIfYouCan: Louisiana is 22-2 when scoring first. The lone two losses: Mar. 8 at South Alabama and Mar. 21 vs. Troy (game 1 of DH).

• #StartMeUp: The Ragin' Cajuns have scored in the first inning 15 times (14-1). Louisiana holds a 44-9 advantage in runs scored in the opening frame.

• #SevenAndCounting: Louisiana's No. 9/8 ranking in the polls released on March 24 marked the seventh (7th) straight week inside the nation's Top 10. It's the longest stretch in the Top 10 since 2012.

• #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, selected to the U.S. Junior National Team in January, is handling shortstop duties in Voinche's absence.

#GeauxCajuns

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Players Mentioned

Lexie Elkins

Natalie Fernandez

Christina Hamilton

Haley Hayden

Shellie Landry

DJ Sanders

Kendall Smith

Alex Stewart

Kylee Jo Trahan

Jordan Wallace

Samantha Walsh

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