University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Wednesday, March 20
Lafayette
6 p.m.

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns

vs

McNeese

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Kourtney Gremillion Handshake vs Troy 3.16.19

No. 9 @RaginCajunsSB Hosts McNeese in Midweek Contest

3/19/2019 5:17:00 PM | Softball

Louisiana carries eight-game win streak and unbeaten home mark into matchup with I-10 neighbor

No. 9 Louisiana (23-3) vs. McNeese (12-17)
Dates: Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Location: Lafayette, La.
Stadium: Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park (2,790)
Time: 6 p.m. (CDT)
 
MEDIA INFORMATION
Season Stats: HTML | PDF
Radio: KROF 960-AM · Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP; Bobby Neveaux, analyst
Live Video: RaginCajuns.com/Watch · Talent: Dan McDonald, PxP
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsSB
 
SETTING THE SCENE
A stretch of mid-March home games concludes for No. 9 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball on Wednesday when I-10 neighbor McNeese visits Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns (23-3) are in action for the first time since an undefeated run through an eight-game, 10-day stretch which wrapped up on Sunday. During the stretch Louisiana swept Sun Belt series from Texas State and Troy and defeated Baylor and Nicholls in midweek games.
 
Wednesday's contest is the first of a home-and-home with the Cowgirls (12-17). The Ragin' Cajuns travel to Lake Charles on April 3.
 
Winners of eight straight, Louisiana enters a second consecutive week inside the Top 10 of the national polls. On Tuesday, Louisiana landed at No. 9 in the Week 6 versions of both the USA Today/NFCA and ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 polls.
 
Gerry Glasco's squad seeks to continue the offensive momentum built in last weekend's Sun Belt series vs. Troy. The Ragin' Cajuns hit .397, blasted multiple home runs each game and slugged .825 in the series sweep of the Trojans.
 
LOUISIANA SALUTES
Veterans and active military members are being honored in the annual Louisiana Salutes contest. Those with valid ID receive free admission and their guests receive half-priced tickets.
 
Louisiana alums and Congressional Medal of Honor recipients Capt. Steven Bennett (1968) and Jeff DeBlanc (1947) will be honored prior to the ceremonial first pitch which will be throw out by Bennett's sister and niece (Mary Pritchard).
 
SERIES HISTORY (Louisiana leads, 100-24)
  • Second-oldest series in program history (124 meetings) trailing only ULM (135).
  • Louisiana has won the last 10 meetings, a streak which began Feb. 26, 2011 in Lake Charles.
  • Since 1991, when Louisiana led series 21-20, the Ragin' Cajuns have won 79 of 83 meetings to take command of the series (won 38 straight from 1994 to 2004).
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Infield: Louisiana is anchored on the left side by two of the best infielders in the country in senior third baseman Kara Gremillion and junior shortstop Alissa Dalton – both career .950-plus fielders. Returning starting second baseman Casidy Chaumont and Keeli Milligan have taken turns starting at the position. At first base, returning starter Kourtney Gremillion and Toledo transfer Bailey Curry share time at the position.
 
Outfield: Expected to make a significant impact are Texas A&M transfers Keeli Milligan (left field) and Sarah Hudek (right field). Texas Tech transfer Raina O'Neal, who sat out due to transfer rules in 2018, is making her Louisiana debut in center field. Aeriyl Mass provides a boost with her speed and should see time in various outfield positions as a defensive replacement. Morgan Gray has rotated with Mass in filling the right field spot when Milligan starts at second base.
 
Pitchers: Preseason Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year Summer Ellyson is back as Louisiana's lead pitcher. Ellyson, a 20-game winner who ranked Top 40 nationally in all major pitching categories in 2018, entered this week ranked second nationally in victories (17) and is the Sun Belt's leader in strikeouts (129). Sophomore Carrie Boswell and freshman Kandra Lamb of Australia have been the first out of the bullpen and the starting pitchers when Ellyson rests. Fifth-year senior Alison Deville and sophomore Casey Dixon add additional depth.
 
Catchers: Senior Lexie Comeaux and Northwestern State transfer Julie Rawls, converted to the position from the outfield, serve as the Ragin' Cajuns' main catchers. Comeaux fills the designated player role, and occasionally plays in the outfield, in order to keep her bat in the game. Rawls has seen the bulk of the playing time behind the plate in order to continue her development.
 
NOTABLE STREAKS AND TRENDS
  • The 2019 season marks the 39th season overall in Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball history and the second season of the Gerry Glasco era.
  • Louisiana's season-opening, 14-game winning streak marked the program's best start since the 2015 season, matching that team's start.
  • Louisiana sports a 15-0 record on Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park and has surrendered only 10 runs over 91 innings.
  • Louisiana's offense has generated multiple home runs each of the past four games and six times in the past eight games dating back to the Texas State series opener.
  • The Ragin' Cajuns have launched 35 home runs over the first 26 games, representing a strong start to the expected exponential rise in power numbers from a year ago (23 home runs in 57 games in 2018).
  • The Ragin' Cajuns possess one of the nation's top offenses, ranking Top 25 nationally in eight major categories. Gerry Glasco's squad sits Top 10 in average (.352), slugging percentage (.602) and scoring (7.77).
  • Louisiana's offense includes eight players with 20-plus hits, eight with multiple home runs, eight with double-digit RBI and 11 hitting above .300.
  • Summer Ellyson has steered Louisiana's efforts in the circle collecting 17 victories (17-3, 1.14 ERA). She ranks second nationally in the category trailing only Indiana's Tara Trainer (18 wins).
  • In each of her last seven starts, Summer Ellyson has held the opposition to one earned run or less. She yielded only two runs total last week over 28-2/3 innings pitched.
  • Since March 1, Julie Rawls has raised her batting average from .351 to her present .475 figure. During the stretch she is batting 15-for-22 (.682) with four doubles, three homers and 16 RBI.
  • Julie Rawls posted a .733 average (11-for-15), four consecutive multiple-hit games and generated 10 RBI over a three-game span during last week's play.
  • The Ragin' Cajuns have generated 86 extra base hits (46 doubles, 5 triples, 35 home runs) and are on the verge of surpassing the 98 posted all of last season.
  • The Ragin' Cajuns have been active on the base path, swiping 98 stolen bases in 108 attempts. Keeli Milligan leads the charge with 34 stolen bases (in 35 attempts) putting her on pace to challenge the school's single-season record of 51 set by Dorsey Steamer in 1992.
  • The Ragin' Cajuns have started fast in 2019, scoring in the first inning 14 times and being the first to light up the scoreboard in 19 of 26 outings.
  • Sparked by a 43-strikeout effort last week, Summer Ellyson has climbed to the top of the charts in the Sun Belt Conference and ranks No. 6 nationally.
  • Louisiana swept the weekly Sun Belt awards for the second time when Julie Rawls and Summer Ellyson captured the Week 6 honors. 
UP NEXT
No. 9 Louisiana returns to Sun Belt action Friday through Sunday in Mobile, Ala. with a three-game series at South Alabama. The Ragin' Cajuns and Jaguars open the series with a 6 p.m. tilt on Friday at Jaguar Field.
 
The trip to Mobile is the first of back-to-back road trips to close out the month of March. The following weekend (March 29-31), Louisiana is in Statesboro, Ga. to face Georgia Southern.
 
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.
 
SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE
• Season tickets, beginning at $100, are available online at RaginCajuns.com using Account Manager, by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 265-2170 or by visiting the ticket office in person Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and extended hours during Ragin' Cajuns basketball events.
• Fans who purchase season tickets receive priority access for any potential NCAA postseason games held at Lamson Park.
• For information on premium seating and parking at Lamson Park, contact the Ragin' Cajuns Athletic Foundation (RCAF) at (337) 851-2903. General admission parking at Cajun Field will be free for all games during the 2019 season.
 
- www.RaginCajuns.com -
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McNeese
L, 4-5

Mar 20 (Wed)

6 p.m.
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Full Schedule

Players Mentioned

24

Casidy Chaumont

IF
/ Softball
17

Bailey Curry

1B/DP
/ Softball
22

Alissa Dalton

SS
/ Softball
18

Casey Dixon

P
/ Softball
9

Summer Ellyson

P
/ Softball
6

Morgan Gray

OF
/ Softball
39

Kara Gremillion

3B
/ Softball
35

Sarah Hudek

OF
/ Softball
53

Kandra Lamb

P
/ Softball
15

Aeriyl Mass

OF
/ Softball
4

Keeli Milligan

OF
/ Softball
2

Raina O'Neal

OF
/ Softball
23

Julie Rawls

C/OF
/ Softball

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