Softball Preview: Texas State

Games 30-32: No. 4 Louisiana (26-3, 7-1 Sun Belt) vs. Texas State (23-12, 4-5 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Apr. 2 (DH) • 2 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
Sunday, Apr. 3 • 1 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.

Game Notes (PDF): Louisiana | Texas State
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM • Talent: Ryan Baniewicz and Ian Auzenne, PxP; Bobby Neveaux, color
TV (Apr. 2 only): MyAcadianaTV/ESPN 3 • Talent: Cavan Bordelon, PxP; Sean Trcalek, color
WatchESPN Links (Apr. 2 only): Game 1 | Game 2
Live Stats
Live Video (Apr. 3 only)
Rosters: Louisiana | Texas State
Schedules: Louisiana | Texas State
2016 Stats: Louisiana | Texas State
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunSB
Opponents' Twitter: @TXStateSoftball

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Record at Louisiana: 664-162-1 (14th season) Career Record: Same

Texas State: Ricci Woodard (New Mexico State, 1991)
Record at TXST: 539-353-1 (16th season) Career Record: Same

CAJUNS RETURN HOME, HOST TEXAS STATE AT LAMSON PARK
For the first time in three weekends, No. 4 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball (26-3, 7-1 Sun Belt) gets to enjoy the comforts of Lamson Park as the squad hosts Texas State (23-12, 4-5 Sun Belt) in a three-game Sun Belt Conference series. The series runs Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3. Saturday's 2 p.m. doubleheader is being televised locally on MyAcadianaTV and worldwide on ESPN3. This weekend's games with the Bobcats marks the first home series for the Ragin' Cajuns since Sun Belt-opening weekend vs. South Alabama (March 12-13).

GOOD TO BE AT HOME
The No. 4-ranked Ragin' Cajuns concluded an eight-game road trip on Tuesday at No. 19 Baylor. Louisiana went 6-2 on the trip, taking 2-of-3 at UT Arlington, sweeping Troy and splitting a doubleheader at Baylor. A total of 1,234 miles were logged on visits to Arlington, Texas (413 miles), Troy, Ala. (424 miles) and Waco, Texas (397 miles).

STRENGTH VS. STRENGTH
No. 4 Louisiana leads the Sun Belt and ranks 5th nationally with a .355 team batting average. Texas State ranks second in the Sun Belt and 11th nationally with a 2.03 team ERA. Individually, UL's Lexie Elkins tops the SBC in average (.538) and home runs (17), while TXST's Randi Rupp leads the league in wins (16) and ranks second in ERA (1.69) and strikeouts (181).

HOME, SWEET HOME
The Ragin' Cajuns carry an 11-game win streak at Lamson Park into the Texas State series.

ELKINS NEARING NCAA CAREER TOP 10 LIST
Lexie Elkins (73 career home runs) sits three home runs shy of entering the NCAA's career home run Top 10 list. She presently ranks 12th on the overall list.

NCAA CAREER HOME RUNS TOP 10
1.         95       Lauren Chamberlain, Oklahoma
2.         90       Stacey Nuveman, UCLA
3.         87       Stacie Chambers, Arizona
4.         85       Leah Braatz, Arizona
            85       Laura Espinoza, Arizona
6.         84       Shelby Pendley, Oklahoma
7.         83       Danyele Gomez, Louisiana
8.         79       Kristen Rivera, Washington
9.         76       Megan Baltzell, Longwood
            76       Jenny Dalton, Arizona
---------
T12.    73       Lexie Elkins, Louisiana

TRACKING ELKINS' RECORD PURSUIT
Lexie Elkins' 73 career home runs ranks second all-time in Ragin' Cajuns history, leaving only Danyele Gomez's 83 left to top.

RAGIN' CAJUNS SOFTBALL CAREER HOME RUNS CHART
1.    83    Danyele Gomez (2003-06)
2.    73    Lexie Elkins (2014-present)
3.    71    Holly Tankersley (2004, 2006-08)
4.    70    Christi Orgeron (2009-12)
5.    66    Gabriele Bridges (2008-11)

DOMINANT WEEKEND IN TROY
No. 5 Louisiana bounced back strong from a series finale loss at UT Arlington (March 20) during the Easter Weekend series in Troy. The Ragin' Cajuns outscored the Trojans 27-1, scoring in the first inning each game, and held a 29-10 advantage in hits. Aside from a solo home run in Game 2, the pitching combination of Alex Stewart (two shutouts) and Kylee Jo Trahan did not allow a single Trojans baserunner past second base.

STEWART SHUTS 'EM DOWN
Following two complete game shutouts in Troy, Alex Stewart has now pitched a shutout in three straight Sun Belt Conference starts (began March 19 at UTA). Stewart limited Troy - which entered the series hitting .321 and had 10 games with double digit hits - to seven hits in 12 innings and struck out 16.

MIGHTY BATS
The Ragin' Cajuns have hit at least one home run in 22 of 29 games, tallying multiple home runs 16 times (had multiple HR all three games in Troy). Louisiana leads the nation with 2.07 home runs per game (60 HR in 29 games).

THE GOLD STANDARD
The Ragin' Cajuns have belted 60 home runs in 29 contests for an average of 2.07 per game, which leads the nation. In 2015, UL produced a nation-best 2.15 home runs per game.

DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
Louisiana's offense has been problematic for opposing pitching staffs in doubleheaders. On March 5 at Southern Miss, the Cajuns belted 11 home runs and 25 hits total in outscoring USM 30-1. On March 19 at UT Arlington, the squad piled up eight home runs (three grand slams) and 26 hits in outscoring UTA 29-0. Last weekend at Troy, the Cajuns clubbed six home runs and posted 22 hits in the twinbill, topping the Trojans by a combined score of 19-1.

STOPPING 'EM IN THEIR TRACKS
Kylee Jo Trahan has held the opposition to just 29 hits in 57-2/3 innings pitched in her 13 appearances (10 starts). Foes are hitting a meager .147 off of the sophomore hurler. She's tossed two perfect games (2/27 vs. Alcorn; 3/19 at UTA) and a total of three no-hitters.

STOPPING 'EM IN THEIR TRACKS (Part 2)
The Cajuns' pitching staff has held foes to two runs or less in 21 of 29 games (20-1 record). Opponents have scored five-plus runs only twice (Feb. 19 vs. Oregon; March 13 vs. South Alabama).

A BAND OF HEROES
Lexie Elkins hit five home runs in the season-opening weekend in Gulf Shores. Kelsey Vincent tallied 12 RBI the weekend of Feb. 25-28. DJ Sanders hit four home runs and posted a series-high seven RBI at Southern Miss. Aleah Craighton hit key home runs in the South Alabama sweep, the second straight weekend she homered twice in both games of a doubleheader. Shellie Landry had a game-winning RBI and momentum-shifting single vs. South Alabama. Taylor Terrio slapped a walk-off single into left field to secure a 5-4 win in nine innings over McNeese State. Craighton (at UTA) and Landry (at Troy) both recently homered three times in a doubleheader. Sara Corbello homered each game of the Troy series. All proof that the Ragin' Cajuns batting lineup can have any one given player deliver key performances.

CHART YOUR COURSE CAREFULLY
The No. 1-6 hitters in the Cajuns lineup pose a stern test for opposing pitchers. All six hitters (Hayden, Landry, Elkins, Vincent, Craighton, Sanders) are hitting above .320. Five of the six have posted at least seven home runs, led by the nation-leading 17 from Lexie Elkins. While Elkins (17 HR, 41 RBI) and Kelsey Vincent (7 HR, 30 RBI) pack a punch at No. 3-4, five-hole hitter Aleah Craighton (9 HR, 32 RBI) and six-hole hitter DJ Sanders (10 HR, 30 RBI) provide a solid backup.

ANSWERING THE CALL
The Ragin' Cajuns pitching staff, spearheaded by Alex Stewart and Kylee Jo Trahan, has left little doubt they are ready to carry the torch after the graduation of Jordan Wallace and Christina Hamilton. The group - which also includes Victoria Brown, Alison Deville and Macey Smith - has combined for 12 shutouts and surrendered two runs or fewer in 21 of 29 games thus far. Of the 137 hits allowed in 177 innings, only 28 have gone for extra bases.

UP NEXT
The No. 4-ranked Ragin' Cajuns start a stretch of seven straight road games in Atlanta facing Georgia State in a Sun Belt series Saturday-Sunday, April 9-10. The GSU series is followed by the highly anticipated three-game series at No. 1 Florida (April 16-17) and concludes with a midweek trek to McNeese State on April 20.

LOUISIANA-TEXAS STATE SERIES
Series Record: Louisiana leads 22-3
Sun Belt Games: Louisiana leads 5-1
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads 14-2
In San Marcos, Texas: Louisiana leads 2-1
Neutral: Louisiana leads 6-0
Current Streak: Louisiana won 2
Last Meeting: 3/29/15 in San Marcos, Texas
(Louisiana 4, Texas State 0)

Series Notes
Third Sun Belt series, overall, and second at Lamson Park...Last met at Lamson Park in 2014, which served as the initial SBC series between the two programs (Cajuns swept Bobcats)...Ragin' Cajuns hold an 5-1 series edge in the Sun Belt Conference era...Louisiana won previous two SBC series (3-0 at Lamson in 2014; 2-1 in San Marcos in 2015)...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 series meetings prior to a 4-2 Texas State win April 19, 2000...Ragin' Cajuns have won nine of the last 10 meetings.

Last Season's Series (March 28-29, 2015 in San Marcos, Texas)
The two teams combined for eight home runs, 24 hits and 27 runs in a wild Game 1. Texas State took the opening game 14-13 utilizing a 12-hit attack that featured four home runs. The Cajuns kept producing in Game 2 and Alex Stewart settled down the Bobcats hitters. Louisiana produced a school-record seven home runs and Stewart held TXST to two runs and two hits over three innings in a 15-2 (5 inn.) triumph. Lexie Elkins homered twice in each game of the Saturday twinbill and ended the day 5-for-8 with four home runs and seven RBI. In the series finale, Stewart tossed a complete game shutout with a career-high 11 strikeouts as UL claimed the series with a 4-0 win. She was provided a 2-0 lead in the first inning on solo home runs by Haley Hayden and Elkins.

Last Time at Lamson Park (March 29-30, 2014)
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 1 with a two-run single by Lexie Elkins in the third inning. In Game 2, 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.

DIAMOND NOTES
#CatchMeIfYouCan: Louisiana is 22-0 when scoring first. In those 22 wins, the Ragin' Cajuns have relinquished the lead only once (4th inning of Game 1 vs. Texas Tech).

#DefenseBacksThemUp: The Ragin' Cajuns defense has committed only 16 errors in 710 chances and had multiple errors only twice through 29 games this season. The unit played error-free in 10 of the 14 games played in March (only four errors in 346 chances, .988 FLD%).

#HeyItsHaley: With 35 runs, 35 hits and 31 RBI, Haley Hayden is on pace to reach 60 runs, 60 hits and 50 RBI for the third straight season.

#SendThemInSanders: DJ Sanders has posted three-plus RBI five times, piling up 30 RBI (personal single-season best).

#KsForKylee: Kylee Jo Trahan has posted at least eight strikeouts in six of her eight starts that she pitched at least five innings. She tied her career-high of 10 vs. Rutgers (Feb. 26).

#SteadyAlex: Alex Stewart began the season with 35 2/3 consecutive walk-free innings. She's yielded only 14 walks in 97 innings pitched through her first 18 appearances (16 starts).

#GrowingUpFast: Freshman Kara Gremillion has displayed poise at the plate and the results have backed that up. Gremillion posted five doubles through her first seven collegiate hits, one of which broke open a scoreless game vs. No. 5 Oregon on Feb. 19. She's shined on defense as well, fielding all but two of 75 chances cleanly (38 PO, 35 A, 2 E, .973 FLD%) and carries a string of 18 straight error-free games into the Texas State series.

#FabulousFive: Louisiana remained inside the Top 5 of both national polls (No. 4 ESPN/USA Softball; No. 5 NFCA) this week - the fourth straight week ranked Top 5 in both of the rankings.

#NationalPower: Dating back to the start of the 2015 season, Louisiana has been in the Top 10 of the NFCA rankings in 19 of the past 22 polls and Top 10 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll in 18 of the past 22 polls.

#FamilyTies: Being members of the Ragin' Cajuns softball team has added meaning for three families. Sisters Shellie Landry and Jaime Landry are competing together collegiately for the first time (Jaime redshirted in 2015). Kara Gremillion is following in the footsteps of her aunts, Stacie Gremillion and Sandy Percle, who donned the Cajuns uniform in the mid-1980s. And, Chelsea Lotief joins her father, head coach Michael Lotief, in the dugout while suiting up for the Ragin' Cajuns like her mother, Stefni (Whitton) Lotief, did from 1987-90.

#GeauxCajuns

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Players Mentioned

Victoria Brown

Sara Corbello

Aleah Craighton

Alison Deville

Lexie Elkins

Kara Gremillion

Christina Hamilton

Haley Hayden

Jaime Landry

Shellie Landry

Chelsea Lotief

DJ Sanders

Macey Smith

Alex Stewart

Taylor Terrio

Kylee Jo Trahan

Kelsey Vincent

Jordan Wallace

Samantha Walsh

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