Softball Preview: 30th Louisiana Classics

Games 6-9: 30th Annual Louisiana Classics (Lamson Park)
Friday, Feb. 19 • 2 p.m. (CST) • No. 5 Oregon • Lamson Park
Friday, Feb. 19 • 5 p.m. (CST) • No. 5 Oregon • Lamson Park
Saturday, Feb. 20 • 1 p.m. (CST) • No. 5 Oregon • Lamson Park
Sunday, Feb. 21 • 12:30 p.m. (CST) • Central Arkansas • Lamson Park

Tournament Central
Notes: Louisiana | Oregon
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM | Live Stats
Rosters: Louisiana | Oregon | Central Arkansas
Schedules: Louisiana | Oregon | Central Arkansas
2016 Stats: Louisiana | Oregon | Central Arkansas
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunSB
Opponents Twitter: @OregonSB | @UCASoftball

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 643-159-1 (14th season)   Record at Louisiana: Same

Oregon: Mike White (Mount Mercy College, 1989)
Career Record: 285-84-1 (7th season)   Record at Oregon: Same

Central Arkansas: David Kuhn (Delta State, 1994)
Career Record: 582-412 (18th season)   Record at UCA: 214-190 (8th season)

WELCOME HOME
No. 7 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball opens the home portion of its 2016 schedule hosting the 30th Annual Louisiana Classics tournament Friday-Sunday, Feb. 19-21 at Lamson Park. No. 5 Oregon and Central Arkansas join the Ragin' Cajuns for the event. Louisiana opens the tournament, and the 32nd season of softball at Lamson Park, facing Oregon in a 2 p.m., doubleheader on Friday, Feb. 19.

STRONG FIELD
The 30th edition of the Louisiana Classics features three teams that all appeared in the 2015 NCAA Tournament. No. 7 Louisiana and No. 5 Oregon both hosted an NCAA Regional, while Central Arkansas (Southland's automatic bid) competed in the Norman (Okla.) Regional. The Cajuns advanced to the super regional round, while the Ducks made it to Oklahoma City.

THE REMATCH
The three contests between No. 7 Louisiana and No. 5 Oregon in the 30th Annual Louisiana Classics marks the Ducks' return visit for the Ragin' Cajuns' trip to Eugene, Ore., in April 2015. Oregon swept the three-game set last season by scores of 8-0 (5), 10-2 (5) and 2-1 (8).

CAJUNS IN THE LOUISIANA CLASSICS
Over the years, the Cajuns have enjoyed unrivaled success in the Louisiana Classics. Louisiana is 114-13-1 all-time in the event, an annual occurrence dating back to 1987.

SIZZLING DEBUT
Louisiana fired off 32 base hits in producing 37 runs, and hit .582 as a team, in season-opening day victories over Ball State (22-4) and UAB (15-0). The squad totaled 18 extra base hits (10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs) with Lexie Elkins, Kelsey Vincent and Sanders each homering twice.

STANDING TALL IN THE CIRCLE
The Ragin' Cajuns pitching staff finished the season-opening weekend in Gulf Shores with only four earned runs allowed over 29 innings (0.97 ERA). The quartet of Alex Stewart, Kylee Jo Trahan, Macey Smith and Victoria Brown limited foes to a .187 average and surrendered only four walks. Stewart led the way with 16 strikeouts and no walks over the 14 frames she worked.

MILESTONE MOMENT
Saturday's 8-0 (5 inn.) win over Southeast Missouri at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores marked the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball program's 1,500th all-time victory. The present all-time record, for the program which was launched in 1981, is 1,501-433-1 (.776).

HOMESTANDING CAJUNS
The 30th Annual Louisiana Classics opens a 10-game homestand for the Ragin' Cajuns at Lamson Park. The homestand continues next week with a Thursday (Feb. 25) doubleheader with Texas Tech followed by the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational being held Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28 and featuring Alcorn State and Rutgers.

SWEEPSTAKES FOR ELKINS
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball senior catcher Lexie Elkins' season-opening display of power in Gulf Shores resulted in national notoriety – in addition to Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Week honors – for the two-time All-American slugger.

Both the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) and Amateur Softball Association (ASA)/USA Softball bestowed their respective player of the week honor on the Ragin' Cajuns standout. Elkins was tabbed Louisville/Slugger NFCA Division I National Player of the Week by the NFCA and USA Softball Collegiate National Player of the Week by ASA/USA Softball.

Elkins finished 10-for-15 (.667) at the plate with five home runs and 14 RBI as the Ragin' Cajuns began the 2016 season with a 5-0 mark. She homered in three of the five contests in the Sand Dollar Classic, wrapping up the tournament against Louisiana Tech by tying a school record with three home runs - the second time in her career she's accomplished the feat (Apr. 18 at Appalachian State).

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Lexie Elkins' five home runs in Gulf Shores increased her career total to 61, making her just the fifth player in Ragin' Cajuns history to reach the 60-home run plateau.

Elkins, who entered the 2016 season 27 home runs shy of Danyele Gomez's career record, sits in fifth place on the Cajuns career home run chart. She is presently 22 shy of Gomez's standard.

The Victoria, Texas, native needs six more home runs to surpass Gabriele Bridges (66 HR from 2008-11) for fourth place. With 11 more home runs, she'll take possession of second place.

RAGIN' CAJUNS SOFTBALL CAREER HOME RUNS CHART
1.    83    Danyele Gomez (2003-06)
2.    71    Holly Tankersley (2004, 2006-08)
3.    70    Christi Orgeron (2009-12)
4.    66    Gabriele Bridges (2008-11)
5.    61    Lexie Elkins (2014-present)

RAGIN' CAJUNS JOIN TOP 10
A 5-0 start to the 2016 season has propelled the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team into the Top 10 of the national polls, which were released on Tuesday.

Louisiana rose to No. 7 in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll, up from its No. 11 preseason rank. The Ragin' Cajuns moved up three spots, from its preseason No. 11 billing, to No. 8 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.

SEASON TICKET RECORD BROKEN AGAIN
For the second straight season, a new season ticket record has been set for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball program. And, for the first time those ticket sales have generated more than $100,000.00 in ticket revenue.

Entering Friday's 2 p.m., home opener at Lamson Park vs. No. 5 Oregon, 890 season tickets have been sold. The tally eclipses the previous mark of 873 set in 2015.

"Ordinary softball programs are not thought of as 'revenue generators' or as a 'business' unto itself," Louisiana softball head coach Michael Lotief said. "Our program is not ordinary because our program is a reflection of our awesome fans and the Ragin' Cajuns community that has always supported and believed in this program."

THE TANK REMAINS FULL
The Ragin' Cajuns returned 90-plus percent in all major hitting categories (hits, doubles, triples, home runs, RBI and total bases). The squad returns 100 percent of the home run production from 2015 (116 home runs).

QUICK LOOK AT THE 2016 RAGIN' CAJUNS
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, ranked No. 11 in the final 2015 polls and coming off a fourth straight NCAA Super Regional appearance, return eight (8) of the nine (9) hitters from its 2015 starting lineup that produced a school-record 116 home runs headlined by first team All-America choice and reigning NFCA/Diamond Sports Division I Catcher of the Year Lexie Elkins (.426, 32 HR, 83 RBI in 2015).

Second team All-Sun Belt pitcher Alex Stewart (10-2, 2.09 ERA in 2015), who posted five of the Ragin' Cajuns final 10 Sun Belt wins that paved the way for a conference championship in 2015, leads the candidates in the pitching circle who are poised to take over for the departed Christina Hamilton and Jordan Wallace (both graduated).

ELKINS AND LANDRY NAMED TO "WATCH" LIST
Lexie Elkins and Shellie Landry, both All-Americans in 2015, were included among the 50 players that comprised the "Watch List" for the 2016 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award.

Elkins, named to the watch list for the second straight season, was a Top 26 finalist for the 2015 award. Landry received a nod on the watch list for the first time in her career.

A first team All-America choice and reigning NFCA/Diamond Sports Division I Catcher of the Year, Elkins generated a school-record 32 home runs in 2015, which led all levels of collegiate softball. Landry, who picked up the first All-American honor of her career in 2015, saw 37 of her 64 hits go for extra bases (58 percent) and ranked Top 50 nationally in home runs, RBI and slugging percentage.

CAJUNS ARE THE CHOICE OF THE SUN BELT
The 11th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team was selected as the favorite to finish atop the 2016 Sun Belt Conference standings and senior catcher Lexie Elkins was chosen as the Preseason Student-Athlete of the Year in the preseason picks voted on by the conference's nine head coaches and released on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Elkins, winner of SBC Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015, will attempt to become the first player in Ragin' Cajuns and Sun Belt history to claim player of the year honors in a third straight season.

Elkins was the frontrunner at catcher on the preseason All-Sun Belt team. Teammates Kelsey Vincent (first base), Haley Hayden (second base), DJ Sanders (shortstop) and Shellie Landry (outfield) joined Elkins on the preseason All-SBC squad.

2015 REWIND
The 2015 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team captured the program's 13th Sun Belt Conference regular season championship in 15 seasons of league competition, extended the program's active streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances to 17 straight years (1999-present) and won an NCAA Regional and appeared in an NCAA Super Regional for the fourth straight year.

Louisiana led the nation in home runs per game (2.15) and ranked second in scoring offense (8.15 runs/game) and slugging percentage (.652) in 2015. During the regular season, Louisiana ranked Top 10 nationally in home runs per game (1st), slugging percentage (2nd), scoring (2nd) and batting average (7th). The squad was Top 20 nationally in fielding percentage (17th) and earned run average (20th).

UP NEXT
The 7th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns continue the current 10-game homestand hosting Texas Tech in a Thursday (Feb. 25) doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. That will be followed by the Ragin' Cajuns Invitational Friday-Sunday, Feb. 26-28 featuring Rutgers and Alcorn State.

SERIES HISTORY
Oregon (Oregon leads 8-3)
In Lafayette: 0-0
In Eugene, Ore.: Oregon leads 3-0
Neutral: Oregon leads 5-3
Current Streak: Oregon won 5

NOTES: Second straight season meeting on either school's campus and first time ever at Lamson Park…Teams met in three-game series in April 2015 in Eugene, which marked the first-ever meetings on either school's campus…The eight meetings prior to last season's series in Eugene took place at a neutral site…Programs first met in 1992 in Las Vegas at the UNLV Spring Fling, splitting two meetings...Next five meetings were in the NCAA Regionals from 2000-05...Oregon eliminated Louisiana from the 2000 NCAA Baton Rouge Regional...In 2003, the Cajuns won the "if necessary" game on Championship Sunday in Fullerton, Calif., to advance to the WCWS for the first time in the Lotief Era...In the first year of the Super Regional format (2005), the Cajuns and Ducks were sent to Norman, Okla., and paired in the opening round...Louisiana won the opener in Norman, 7-5, but lost to Oklahoma in the winner's bracket final the next day and was eliminated by Oregon, 2-1, later that same evening.

Central Arkansas (Louisiana leads 2-0)
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads 2-0
In Conway, Ark.: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
Current Streak: Louisiana won 2

Central Arkansas (Louisiana leads 2-0): Third straight season (2014-16) meeting in a tournament at Lamson Park…Louisiana won 5-0, in first meeting between the two programs, to close out 2014 Ragin' Cajuns Invitational…The Ragin' Cajuns claimed an 8-0 (5 inn.) win in last season's Louisiana Classics…Louisiana pitching has tossed 12 scoreless innings vs. Central Arkansas and held the Bears to five hits…The Cajuns and Bears were scoreless through three innings a year ago before a five-run fourth inning, capped off with a Shellie Landry grand slam, provided the Cajuns a comfortable lead.

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Players Mentioned

Victoria Brown

Lexie Elkins

Christina Hamilton

Haley Hayden

Shellie Landry

DJ Sanders

Macey Smith

Alex Stewart

Kylee Jo Trahan

Kelsey Vincent

Jordan Wallace