University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, April 22
Lafayette
2 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
vs
Georgia State
Softball Preview: Georgia State Series
4/21/2017 8:54:00 AM | Softball
Games 40-42: No. 17 Louisiana (33-6, 14-1 Sun Belt) vs. Georgia State (28-17, 13-5 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Apr. 22 (DH) • 2 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
Sunday, Apr. 23 • 1 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Saturday – Faith and Family Day
• Bring a recent church bulletin for a half-price general admission ticket
Sunday – Youth Softball Day
• Youth softball poster competition and a radar gun challenge to win Academy Gift Cards
• All youth softballers will be allowed onto the field for the National Anthem and run the bases postgame
Game Notes (PDF): Louisiana
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM • Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP
TV: None
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Video (FREE): Ragin' Cajuns All-Access
Rosters: Louisiana | Georgia State
Schedules: Louisiana | Georgia State
Season Stats: Louisiana | Georgia State
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunsSB
Opponent's Twitter: @GSU_Softball
THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 717-174-1 (15th season) Record at Louisiana: Same
Georgia State: Roger Kincaid (Georgia, 1987)
Career Record: 239-155 (7th season) Record at Georgia State: Same
5 THINGS TO KNOW
1 – Louisiana seeks to gain distance in the standings from the current second-place team in the Sun Belt a second straight weekend. The Ragin' Cajuns (14-1 SBC) hold a four-game edge in the loss column over Georgia State (13-5 SBC).
2 – The Ragin' Cajuns begin their final homestand of the 2017 season. The squad is at Lamson Park back-to-back weekends for Sun Belt series against Georgia State (April 22-23) and Coastal Carolina (April 29-30) – the final six games of the home schedule.
3 – Louisiana seeks to extend its school and Sun Belt Conference record streak of 34 consecutive league series won. The streak dates back to March 2013
4 – The Ragin' Cajuns have hit above .300 in all five Sun Belt series. The squad leads the way with a .341 average in league play and has plated six or more runs in 12 out of the 15 games.
5 – DJ Sanders and Haley Hayden are the Ragin' Cajuns leading hitters in April. The last seven hits posted by Sanders have been home runs, while Hayden has hit .531 with 22 RBI since April 1.
FOR STARTERS
17th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball begins its final homestand of the 2017 season and hosts Georgia State in a three-game Sun Belt series Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23 at Lamson Park. The teams will play at 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and close out the series with a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday.
ANOTHER KEY SERIES
For the second straight weekend, the Ragin' Cajuns face one of the teams nearest them in the Sun Belt Conference standings. Louisiana (14-1 SBC) welcomes second-place Georgia State (13-5 SBC) to Lamson Park for a Sun Belt series that will be key in the race for the regular season title.
CHALLENGE MET
Last weekend the Ragin' Cajuns faced then-second place Texas State in San Marcos and took 2-of-3 from the Bobcats to increase their lead in the loss column to four games over Texas State and Georgia State.
CATCH 'EM WHILE YOU CAN
The Georgia State matchup is the first of back-to-back weekend series to close out the home schedule. Coastal Carolina visits April 29-30 for the final regular season games scheduled at Lamson Park in 2017.
SUN BELT SERIES STREAK
Louisiana has won 34 consecutive Sun Belt Conference series (school and SBC record streak). The streak began in March 2013 with a three-game sweep of FIU. The last school to claim a SBC series from the Cajuns was South Alabama (March 16-17, 2013).
CHARGED UP OFFENSES
The Cajuns (.336, 331 R, 66 HR) and Panthers (.296, 241 R, 35 HR) are the top teams in the Sun Belt in nearly every offensive category.
FAMILIAR FOES
In addition to the regular season series, Louisiana and Georgia State have met in the Sun Belt Tournament the past two seasons – that's eight matchups during the timeframe.
IN THE ZONE
With the first inning home run at Texas A&M, the last seven hits that DJ Sanders has posted have all been home runs (dates back to last at bat of Game 2 vs. Troy on April 8).
PREMIER SLUGGER
DJ Sanders leads the nation in total home runs (24), home runs per game (0.62), total RBI (63), RBI per game (1.62), total bases (127) and slugging percentage (1.085).
FINISHING STRONG
Haley Hayden is making sure that in the final weeks of her collegiate career she's not leaving anything on the table. Since April 1, she is batting .531 (17-for-32) with three doubles, five home runs and 22 RBI.
TWO GRAND TALLIES
Haley Hayden's career-high seven RBI at Texas A&M increased her career amount to 204. The senior from West Monroe has now reached the 200-mark in career runs, hits and RBI.
MS. CONSISTENCY
Haley Hayden has produced at least 40 runs, hits and RBI all four years of her career.
LINEUP SHIFT
The choice to work around DJ Sanders became an even more riskier gamble when she was elevated to the No. 2 spot in order (up from cleanup) at Texas State. Now she's backed up by the team's hottest hitter of late, Haley Hayden (hitting .536 with 4 HR and 15 RBI), and Aleah Craighton who owns 72 career extra base hits.
HAYDEN EYES RECORD
Haley Hayden has begun her march toward catching Nerissa Myers' school record of 243 runs scored (2010-13). Last weekend at Texas State she passed Jerie Alexander (1999-2002, 230 runs) for second place leaving only Myers' mark left to bypass.
Hayden enters the Georgia State series with 234 career runs. That leaves her nine (9) shy of equaling Myers' total. The odds are in her favor as nine regular season games and postseason remain to be played.
SANDERS UP FOR TOP HONOR
Junior shortstop DJ Sanders is one of the finalists named for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The list will be narrowed to the Top 10 Finalists on May 10, the Top 3 Finalists named on May 24 and the winner announced on May 30 prior to the start of the WCWS.
DENHAM GARNERS ATTENTION
Pitcher Alyssa Denham has been named one of the finalists for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award. The Pearland (Texas) High product is part of a group of 25 select athletes in consideration for the award. The trophy will be presented on May 31 at the WCWS.
THE WHOLE STORY
The offensive statistics are what pop out when you glance at DJ Sanders' stat line. However, head coach Michael Lotief points out that her impact extends to defense and leadership qualities. "It's the total package that is impressive, not just home runs." Lotief said. "She's making some incredible plays that are not easy to make and she's making them look easy. Unlike in years past, she's become vocal and is becoming a leader helping our younger kids feel comfortable playing the game."
RAGIN' ON OFFENSE
Louisiana hit .361 during its recent 15-game win streak (Mar. 18-Apr. 14). The Ragin' Cajuns generated six or more runs in all but two of the games, outscored foes 133-33 and strung together 143 base hits (48 for extra bases).
BIG INNINGS
Over the last two weeks, the Ragin' Cajuns have generated nine different innings of four-plus runs. Seven of those big run innings have come over the first three innings and resulted in Louisiana reaching 11 runs by the third inning in the final two games of the Troy series, a midweek game vs. SE Louisiana and Wednesday's game at Texas A&M.
SPARKPLUGS
Kassidy Zeringue and Kelli Martinez, hitting No. 8 and No. 9 in the order respectively, are slap-hitting specialists who give the Cajuns a boost in turning over the lineup not many teams have the luxury of. They have combined for 72 hits (36 apiece) which has provided ample RBI opportunities for the Cajuns power hitters.
GAME CHANGERS
An excellent example of the impact Kassidy Zeringue and Kelli Martinez make in turning the lineup over came Wednesday at Texas A&M. The duo combined for four hits and played a key role in the second and third inning outbursts. After Zeringue singled in the second inning, Martinez laid down a sacrifice bunt to open up a base for the Aggies to work around DJ Sanders which set the stage for Haley Hayden's grand slam. After a two-out walk by Corin Voinchè in the third, the pair followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases and bring the top of the order back up culminating in Hayden's three-run double that upped the lead to 11-2.
LOUISIANA-GEORGIA STATE SERIES
Series Record: Louisiana leads 19-2
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads 3-0
In Atlanta: Louisiana leads 6-0
Neutral Site: Louisiana leads 10-2
Current Streak: Louisiana won 15
Last Meeting: 5/12/16 in Mobile, Ala. (Sun Belt Tournament)
(Louisiana 13, Georgia State 1 - 5 inn.)
Last 10 Series Meetings
3/22/14 LA 4, GSU 2 Atlanta, Ga.
3/23/14 LA 13, GSU 0 (5) Atlanta, Ga.
4/3/15 LA 10, GSU 1 (6) Lamson Park
4/3/15 LA 10, GSU 2 (6) Lamson Park
4/4/15 LA 8, GSU 0 (5) Lamson Park
5/7/15 LA 10, GSU 2 (6) San Marcos, Texas (Sun Belt Tournament)
4/9/16 LA 4, GSU 1 Atlanta, Ga.
4/9/16 LA 6, GSU 5 Atlanta, Ga.
4/10/16 LA 12, GSU 0 (5) Atlanta, Ga.
5/12/16 LA 13, GSU 1 (5) Mobile, Ala. (Sun Belt Tournament)
Series Notes
Ragin' Cajuns won all three previous Sun Belt series, posting a three-game sweep each time...Second SBC series at Lamson Park (first was Easter Weekend 2015)... Louisiana brings a 15-game series win streak into this weekend's series...Cajuns have won seven of the last 10 meetings by the run rule...First 10 meetings took place in tournaments at neutral sites...First meeting was in April 1988 in Chattanooga, Tenn. (GSU won 1-0)...Louisiana and GSU met in the prestigious PONY Invitational in Fullerton, Calif., from 1995-97, paired in pool play the last two years...The initial Sun Belt series, held in Atlanta in 2014, and the subsequent meeting at Lamson Park, in April 2015, marked the first meetings on either school's campus.
Last Series (April 9-10, 2016 - Atlanta)
DJ Sanders ended a scoreless affair in Game 1 of the Saturday doubleheader with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. That was enough offense for Alex Stewart who allowed one run and scattered seven hits in the 4-1 Cajuns win. With the Ragin' Cajuns down to their final two outs in Game 2 and trailing 5-4, Sanders launched a towering two-run home run over the right field fence to help her team overcome a wild fifth inning that saw GSU take advantage of miscues to pull ahead. Shellie Landry's three-run home run was the highlight of a six-run outburst for the Ragin' Cajuns in the second inning of the series finale that put the Panthers away early. Stewart and Victoria Brown combined for the shutout in the 12-0 (5 inn.) win.
Last Series at Lamson Park (April 3-4, 2015)
All three Ragin' Cajuns win were by the run rule. Shellie Landry doubled twice driving home a pair of runs and DJ Sanders hit her first career home run (3-run HR in 6th) to end the game early as Louisiana took the series opener 10-1 (6 inn.) on Good Friday. After a two-run home run by Georgia State's Megan Litumbe in the second inning trimmed the lead to 3-2, the Cajuns added runs in each at bat afterwards to pull away for the series clincher in the opening game of the Saturday doubleheader. A grand slam by Kelsey Vincent in the first inning of the series finale pushed the Cajuns lead to 5-0. Jordan Wallace struck out the first four hitters she faced and combined with Christina Hamilton for the three-hit shutout.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 - Of the Ragin' Cajuns' six losses, a total of four have come by one run
.531 – Batting average for Haley Hayden since April 1. She's raised her season average to .394 (.347 entering month)
6 – DJ Sanders has hit six grand slams in 2017, tying the NCAA record for a season (last reached by former Cajun Christi Orgeron)
11 – Number of times DJ Sanders has posted at least three RBI. She leads Louisiana with 15 multiple-RBI games
17 – The Ragin' Cajuns have scored in the first inning 17 times and hold a 49-9 runs scored edge in the frame
29-0 – Louisiana's record when scoring six runs or more
29-1 – Alex Stewart's career Sun Belt record. The reigning Pitcher of the Year was 16-1 in league play in 2016
31 – Leadoff hitter Kara Gremillion has reached base 31 straight games. She's struck out only 9 times in 159 plate appearances
72 – Combined hits by the Cajuns table setters Kassidy Zeringue (No. 8 hitter) and Kelli Martinez (No. 9 hitter)
213 – Cajuns hitters have turned patience and strong plate discipline into 213 walks, a tally which ranks second nationally trailing only Auburn's 219.
DIAMOND NOTES
#DandyDenham: Freshman pitcher Alyssa Denham earned her second victory over a Top 5 team on Wednesday in College Station. She limited No. 4 Texas A&M to two runs while the offense built the sizeable margin over the first three innings. Back in February, the Pearland (Texas) High product tossed a two-hit shutout of No. 4 Alabama in the series clincher.
#SelectCompany: DJ Sanders' nation-leading 24 home runs ties her for the third-most home runs hit in a single season in program history (Lexie Elkins, 2014). Sanders is staring down 30 home runs – a mark only Elkins (32 in 2015) and Danyele Gomez (30 in 2006) have reached.
#MagicNumber: Louisiana is undefeated (29-0) when scoring at least six runs. The Ragin' Cajuns have produced six runs or more in 29 of the season's 39 games.
#ReliablePerformance: Prior to the Texas A&M contest, the Ragin' Cajuns pitching staff had a season-long streak of holding foes to five runs or fewer (38 straight games). They came within an out of continuing the streak in College Station. The unit has limited the opposition to two runs or less 24 times out of 39 games.
#PowerofUs: It's been a staple of the program throughout the years – production from top to bottom. It's no different this season. The Cajuns have eight starters with 30-plus hits and six of those individuals have already reached 20 RBI.
#WhatEverItTakes: Haley Hayden has shown she's willing to play whatever role necessary to see the Cajuns succeed. Earlier in the season she started at first base. The past two weekends in Sun Belt play she's played in right field. Whether it is helping mentor the pitchers at first base or delivering an outfield assist, Hayden's versatility is a valuable asset.
#HummingAlong: With 50 hits to her credit, senior Haley Hayden is on pace for a potential fourth season of 60-plus hits. Hayden is nearing the program's all-time Top 5 career hits list. With 259 career hits she stands 17 shy of fifth place (Jana Mower, 276).
#AmongTheBest: Louisiana has an active streak of 65 consecutive weeks ranked in the national polls dating back to April 2013 and has finished ranked in one of the national polls each of the past nine seasons (2008-16) and 24 times in the past 27 seasons (1990-2016).
#EveryoneLovesLamson: Due in large part to the softball savvy fan base and the "joie de vivre" (exuberant enjoyment of life) of the Cajun culture, Lamson Park leaves a lasting impression on visitors. That was affirmed in a preseason poll conducted by FloSoftball.com which ranked the facility No. 1 in college softball.
Saturday, Apr. 22 (DH) • 2 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
Sunday, Apr. 23 • 1 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
WEEKEND PROMOTIONS
Saturday – Faith and Family Day
• Bring a recent church bulletin for a half-price general admission ticket
Sunday – Youth Softball Day
• Youth softball poster competition and a radar gun challenge to win Academy Gift Cards
• All youth softballers will be allowed onto the field for the National Anthem and run the bases postgame
Game Notes (PDF): Louisiana
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM • Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP
TV: None
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Video (FREE): Ragin' Cajuns All-Access
Rosters: Louisiana | Georgia State
Schedules: Louisiana | Georgia State
Season Stats: Louisiana | Georgia State
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunsSB
Opponent's Twitter: @GSU_Softball
THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 717-174-1 (15th season) Record at Louisiana: Same
Georgia State: Roger Kincaid (Georgia, 1987)
Career Record: 239-155 (7th season) Record at Georgia State: Same
5 THINGS TO KNOW
1 – Louisiana seeks to gain distance in the standings from the current second-place team in the Sun Belt a second straight weekend. The Ragin' Cajuns (14-1 SBC) hold a four-game edge in the loss column over Georgia State (13-5 SBC).
2 – The Ragin' Cajuns begin their final homestand of the 2017 season. The squad is at Lamson Park back-to-back weekends for Sun Belt series against Georgia State (April 22-23) and Coastal Carolina (April 29-30) – the final six games of the home schedule.
3 – Louisiana seeks to extend its school and Sun Belt Conference record streak of 34 consecutive league series won. The streak dates back to March 2013
4 – The Ragin' Cajuns have hit above .300 in all five Sun Belt series. The squad leads the way with a .341 average in league play and has plated six or more runs in 12 out of the 15 games.
5 – DJ Sanders and Haley Hayden are the Ragin' Cajuns leading hitters in April. The last seven hits posted by Sanders have been home runs, while Hayden has hit .531 with 22 RBI since April 1.
FOR STARTERS
17th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball begins its final homestand of the 2017 season and hosts Georgia State in a three-game Sun Belt series Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23 at Lamson Park. The teams will play at 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and close out the series with a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday.
ANOTHER KEY SERIES
For the second straight weekend, the Ragin' Cajuns face one of the teams nearest them in the Sun Belt Conference standings. Louisiana (14-1 SBC) welcomes second-place Georgia State (13-5 SBC) to Lamson Park for a Sun Belt series that will be key in the race for the regular season title.
CHALLENGE MET
Last weekend the Ragin' Cajuns faced then-second place Texas State in San Marcos and took 2-of-3 from the Bobcats to increase their lead in the loss column to four games over Texas State and Georgia State.
CATCH 'EM WHILE YOU CAN
The Georgia State matchup is the first of back-to-back weekend series to close out the home schedule. Coastal Carolina visits April 29-30 for the final regular season games scheduled at Lamson Park in 2017.
SUN BELT SERIES STREAK
Louisiana has won 34 consecutive Sun Belt Conference series (school and SBC record streak). The streak began in March 2013 with a three-game sweep of FIU. The last school to claim a SBC series from the Cajuns was South Alabama (March 16-17, 2013).
CHARGED UP OFFENSES
The Cajuns (.336, 331 R, 66 HR) and Panthers (.296, 241 R, 35 HR) are the top teams in the Sun Belt in nearly every offensive category.
FAMILIAR FOES
In addition to the regular season series, Louisiana and Georgia State have met in the Sun Belt Tournament the past two seasons – that's eight matchups during the timeframe.
IN THE ZONE
With the first inning home run at Texas A&M, the last seven hits that DJ Sanders has posted have all been home runs (dates back to last at bat of Game 2 vs. Troy on April 8).
PREMIER SLUGGER
DJ Sanders leads the nation in total home runs (24), home runs per game (0.62), total RBI (63), RBI per game (1.62), total bases (127) and slugging percentage (1.085).
FINISHING STRONG
Haley Hayden is making sure that in the final weeks of her collegiate career she's not leaving anything on the table. Since April 1, she is batting .531 (17-for-32) with three doubles, five home runs and 22 RBI.
TWO GRAND TALLIES
Haley Hayden's career-high seven RBI at Texas A&M increased her career amount to 204. The senior from West Monroe has now reached the 200-mark in career runs, hits and RBI.
MS. CONSISTENCY
Haley Hayden has produced at least 40 runs, hits and RBI all four years of her career.
LINEUP SHIFT
The choice to work around DJ Sanders became an even more riskier gamble when she was elevated to the No. 2 spot in order (up from cleanup) at Texas State. Now she's backed up by the team's hottest hitter of late, Haley Hayden (hitting .536 with 4 HR and 15 RBI), and Aleah Craighton who owns 72 career extra base hits.
HAYDEN EYES RECORD
Haley Hayden has begun her march toward catching Nerissa Myers' school record of 243 runs scored (2010-13). Last weekend at Texas State she passed Jerie Alexander (1999-2002, 230 runs) for second place leaving only Myers' mark left to bypass.
Hayden enters the Georgia State series with 234 career runs. That leaves her nine (9) shy of equaling Myers' total. The odds are in her favor as nine regular season games and postseason remain to be played.
SANDERS UP FOR TOP HONOR
Junior shortstop DJ Sanders is one of the finalists named for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The list will be narrowed to the Top 10 Finalists on May 10, the Top 3 Finalists named on May 24 and the winner announced on May 30 prior to the start of the WCWS.
DENHAM GARNERS ATTENTION
Pitcher Alyssa Denham has been named one of the finalists for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award. The Pearland (Texas) High product is part of a group of 25 select athletes in consideration for the award. The trophy will be presented on May 31 at the WCWS.
THE WHOLE STORY
The offensive statistics are what pop out when you glance at DJ Sanders' stat line. However, head coach Michael Lotief points out that her impact extends to defense and leadership qualities. "It's the total package that is impressive, not just home runs." Lotief said. "She's making some incredible plays that are not easy to make and she's making them look easy. Unlike in years past, she's become vocal and is becoming a leader helping our younger kids feel comfortable playing the game."
RAGIN' ON OFFENSE
Louisiana hit .361 during its recent 15-game win streak (Mar. 18-Apr. 14). The Ragin' Cajuns generated six or more runs in all but two of the games, outscored foes 133-33 and strung together 143 base hits (48 for extra bases).
BIG INNINGS
Over the last two weeks, the Ragin' Cajuns have generated nine different innings of four-plus runs. Seven of those big run innings have come over the first three innings and resulted in Louisiana reaching 11 runs by the third inning in the final two games of the Troy series, a midweek game vs. SE Louisiana and Wednesday's game at Texas A&M.
SPARKPLUGS
Kassidy Zeringue and Kelli Martinez, hitting No. 8 and No. 9 in the order respectively, are slap-hitting specialists who give the Cajuns a boost in turning over the lineup not many teams have the luxury of. They have combined for 72 hits (36 apiece) which has provided ample RBI opportunities for the Cajuns power hitters.
GAME CHANGERS
An excellent example of the impact Kassidy Zeringue and Kelli Martinez make in turning the lineup over came Wednesday at Texas A&M. The duo combined for four hits and played a key role in the second and third inning outbursts. After Zeringue singled in the second inning, Martinez laid down a sacrifice bunt to open up a base for the Aggies to work around DJ Sanders which set the stage for Haley Hayden's grand slam. After a two-out walk by Corin Voinchè in the third, the pair followed with back-to-back singles to load the bases and bring the top of the order back up culminating in Hayden's three-run double that upped the lead to 11-2.
LOUISIANA-GEORGIA STATE SERIES
Series Record: Louisiana leads 19-2
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads 3-0
In Atlanta: Louisiana leads 6-0
Neutral Site: Louisiana leads 10-2
Current Streak: Louisiana won 15
Last Meeting: 5/12/16 in Mobile, Ala. (Sun Belt Tournament)
(Louisiana 13, Georgia State 1 - 5 inn.)
Last 10 Series Meetings
3/22/14 LA 4, GSU 2 Atlanta, Ga.
3/23/14 LA 13, GSU 0 (5) Atlanta, Ga.
4/3/15 LA 10, GSU 1 (6) Lamson Park
4/3/15 LA 10, GSU 2 (6) Lamson Park
4/4/15 LA 8, GSU 0 (5) Lamson Park
5/7/15 LA 10, GSU 2 (6) San Marcos, Texas (Sun Belt Tournament)
4/9/16 LA 4, GSU 1 Atlanta, Ga.
4/9/16 LA 6, GSU 5 Atlanta, Ga.
4/10/16 LA 12, GSU 0 (5) Atlanta, Ga.
5/12/16 LA 13, GSU 1 (5) Mobile, Ala. (Sun Belt Tournament)
Series Notes
Ragin' Cajuns won all three previous Sun Belt series, posting a three-game sweep each time...Second SBC series at Lamson Park (first was Easter Weekend 2015)... Louisiana brings a 15-game series win streak into this weekend's series...Cajuns have won seven of the last 10 meetings by the run rule...First 10 meetings took place in tournaments at neutral sites...First meeting was in April 1988 in Chattanooga, Tenn. (GSU won 1-0)...Louisiana and GSU met in the prestigious PONY Invitational in Fullerton, Calif., from 1995-97, paired in pool play the last two years...The initial Sun Belt series, held in Atlanta in 2014, and the subsequent meeting at Lamson Park, in April 2015, marked the first meetings on either school's campus.
Last Series (April 9-10, 2016 - Atlanta)
DJ Sanders ended a scoreless affair in Game 1 of the Saturday doubleheader with a two-run homer in the fourth inning. That was enough offense for Alex Stewart who allowed one run and scattered seven hits in the 4-1 Cajuns win. With the Ragin' Cajuns down to their final two outs in Game 2 and trailing 5-4, Sanders launched a towering two-run home run over the right field fence to help her team overcome a wild fifth inning that saw GSU take advantage of miscues to pull ahead. Shellie Landry's three-run home run was the highlight of a six-run outburst for the Ragin' Cajuns in the second inning of the series finale that put the Panthers away early. Stewart and Victoria Brown combined for the shutout in the 12-0 (5 inn.) win.
Last Series at Lamson Park (April 3-4, 2015)
All three Ragin' Cajuns win were by the run rule. Shellie Landry doubled twice driving home a pair of runs and DJ Sanders hit her first career home run (3-run HR in 6th) to end the game early as Louisiana took the series opener 10-1 (6 inn.) on Good Friday. After a two-run home run by Georgia State's Megan Litumbe in the second inning trimmed the lead to 3-2, the Cajuns added runs in each at bat afterwards to pull away for the series clincher in the opening game of the Saturday doubleheader. A grand slam by Kelsey Vincent in the first inning of the series finale pushed the Cajuns lead to 5-0. Jordan Wallace struck out the first four hitters she faced and combined with Christina Hamilton for the three-hit shutout.
BY THE NUMBERS
4 - Of the Ragin' Cajuns' six losses, a total of four have come by one run
.531 – Batting average for Haley Hayden since April 1. She's raised her season average to .394 (.347 entering month)
6 – DJ Sanders has hit six grand slams in 2017, tying the NCAA record for a season (last reached by former Cajun Christi Orgeron)
11 – Number of times DJ Sanders has posted at least three RBI. She leads Louisiana with 15 multiple-RBI games
17 – The Ragin' Cajuns have scored in the first inning 17 times and hold a 49-9 runs scored edge in the frame
29-0 – Louisiana's record when scoring six runs or more
29-1 – Alex Stewart's career Sun Belt record. The reigning Pitcher of the Year was 16-1 in league play in 2016
31 – Leadoff hitter Kara Gremillion has reached base 31 straight games. She's struck out only 9 times in 159 plate appearances
72 – Combined hits by the Cajuns table setters Kassidy Zeringue (No. 8 hitter) and Kelli Martinez (No. 9 hitter)
213 – Cajuns hitters have turned patience and strong plate discipline into 213 walks, a tally which ranks second nationally trailing only Auburn's 219.
DIAMOND NOTES
#DandyDenham: Freshman pitcher Alyssa Denham earned her second victory over a Top 5 team on Wednesday in College Station. She limited No. 4 Texas A&M to two runs while the offense built the sizeable margin over the first three innings. Back in February, the Pearland (Texas) High product tossed a two-hit shutout of No. 4 Alabama in the series clincher.
#SelectCompany: DJ Sanders' nation-leading 24 home runs ties her for the third-most home runs hit in a single season in program history (Lexie Elkins, 2014). Sanders is staring down 30 home runs – a mark only Elkins (32 in 2015) and Danyele Gomez (30 in 2006) have reached.
#MagicNumber: Louisiana is undefeated (29-0) when scoring at least six runs. The Ragin' Cajuns have produced six runs or more in 29 of the season's 39 games.
#ReliablePerformance: Prior to the Texas A&M contest, the Ragin' Cajuns pitching staff had a season-long streak of holding foes to five runs or fewer (38 straight games). They came within an out of continuing the streak in College Station. The unit has limited the opposition to two runs or less 24 times out of 39 games.
#PowerofUs: It's been a staple of the program throughout the years – production from top to bottom. It's no different this season. The Cajuns have eight starters with 30-plus hits and six of those individuals have already reached 20 RBI.
#WhatEverItTakes: Haley Hayden has shown she's willing to play whatever role necessary to see the Cajuns succeed. Earlier in the season she started at first base. The past two weekends in Sun Belt play she's played in right field. Whether it is helping mentor the pitchers at first base or delivering an outfield assist, Hayden's versatility is a valuable asset.
#HummingAlong: With 50 hits to her credit, senior Haley Hayden is on pace for a potential fourth season of 60-plus hits. Hayden is nearing the program's all-time Top 5 career hits list. With 259 career hits she stands 17 shy of fifth place (Jana Mower, 276).
#AmongTheBest: Louisiana has an active streak of 65 consecutive weeks ranked in the national polls dating back to April 2013 and has finished ranked in one of the national polls each of the past nine seasons (2008-16) and 24 times in the past 27 seasons (1990-2016).
#EveryoneLovesLamson: Due in large part to the softball savvy fan base and the "joie de vivre" (exuberant enjoyment of life) of the Cajun culture, Lamson Park leaves a lasting impression on visitors. That was affirmed in a preseason poll conducted by FloSoftball.com which ranked the facility No. 1 in college softball.
#GeauxCajuns
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/ SoftballAlyson Habetz Media Availability (May 4, 2025)
Monday, May 05
Alyson Habetz, Mia Norwood, and Dayzja Williams Media Availability (April 28, 2025)
Monday, April 28
Alyson Habetz Media Availability (April 21, 2025)
Monday, April 21
Alyson Habetz, Emily Smith, And Mallory Wheeler Media Availability (April 14, 2025)
Monday, April 14
