University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Saturday, May 1
Conway, S.C.
12 p.m. (CDT)
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
at
Coastal Carolina
Softball Ventures Out to the East Coast for Final Road Games of Regular Season
4/30/2021 3:36:00 PM | Softball
No. 13 Louisiana visits Coastal Carolina to start off the month of May
No. 13 Louisiana (35-9, 16-2 Sun Belt) at Coastal Carolina (19-19, 7-11 Sun Belt)
Dates: Saturday-Sunday, May 1-2, 2021
Location: Conway, S.C.
Stadium: St. John Stadium
Series Schedule:
     Sat., May 1 (DH) – 12 p.m. (CDT)
     Sun., May 2 – 10 a.m. (CDT)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Season Stats (PDF): Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Schedule and Results: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Rosters: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Radio:Â ESPN-1420 AMÂ |Â Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP
Television: ESPN+ |Â Talent: Alex Souza, PxP
Live Video:Â Game 1Â | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Twitter Updates:Â @RaginCajunsSB
Â
LEADING OFFÂ
>>Â No. 13 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball returns to Sun Belt Conference play and plays its final road games of the regular season Saturday-Sunday, May 1-2 in Conway, S.C., against Coastal Carolina. The Ragin' Cajuns and Chanticleers are set to play a 12 p.m. (CDT) doubleheader on Saturday and 10 a.m. (CDT) single game on Sunday.
>> It's the start of the final stretch of Sun Belt Conference play - and the regular season schedule - with just two series remaining including this weekend's matchup in Conway. Next week, Louisiana returns to Lamson Park and concludes the regular season with its Senior Weekend series vs. ULM.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns are back in Sun Belt play after a bye week in the league schedule the weekend of April 23-25. Louisiana wasn't idle, though, as the squad competed in a postseason primer with a two-game set in Tuscaloosa, Ala., at Top 5-ranked Alabama.
>>Â Despite a pair of setbacks last weekend in Tuscaloosa, Louisiana has claimed 20 of its past 23 games dating back to March 21. On the other side of the field will be the hottest team in the Sun Belt in a Coastal Carolina squad that has won eight consecutive games.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns headed to Conway in need of three wins and a pair of Texas State wins over Troy in order to capture the Sun Belt Conference's regular season title this weekend.
>> In the two previous trips to Conway since Coastal Carolina joined the Sun Belt (2018, 2020), Louisiana was unable to successfully complete a three-game sweep of Coastal Carolina.Â
Â
THIS 'N THATÂ Â
>> Entering the weekend, Louisiana (35) is one of only 10 NCAA Division I Softball teams to have reached or surpassed 35 wins. The list also includes Oklahoma (39), Arkansas (38), Clemson (37), Oklahoma State (36), Alabama (36), Texas (35), Florida (35), Tennessee (35) and Washington (35).
>> Over the past 23Â games (since March 21), the Ragin' Cajuns are batting .322, have generated 71Â extra base hits (37 doubles, 7 triples, 27 home runs) and are averaging 6.9 runs per game.
>> While not able to find a win in last weekend's trip to Tuscaloosa to face No. 5 Alabama, the Ragin' Cajuns did manage to out-hit the Crimson Tide 10-9 and the pitching staff limited UA to a .200 average.Â
>> Pitching and defense has made a tremendous upswing since the March 21 resurgence, sporting a 1.88 ERA and a .967 fielding percentage (had a 2.90 ERA and .960 fielding percentage in the 21 games prior).Â
>> Ciara Bryan, who has had a base hit in 41 of the 44 games played so far, is on the verge of a 70-hit season in which she has carried an average above .440 throughout its entirety. Bryan currently ranks No. 3 nationally with 67 base hits.
>> Kaitlyn Alderink's strong showing in April (.465 average)Â included a combined .500 average (9-for-18) in key Sun Belt series wins over Troy and Texas State.
>> Julie Rawls enters the month of May ranked Top 10 nationally and the leader of the Sun Belt Conference in RBI. Rawls' journey to the top of the Sun Belt, and a Top 10 national spot in RBI, was charged by batting 458 in April with runners in scoring position leading her to a team-leading 24 RBI over the 16 games in the month (1.5 RBI/game).
>> Since April 1, Jade Gortarez is batting .347 over the past 16 games played with seven extra base hits (4 doubles, 3 home runs) and the second-most runs produced on the Ragin' Cajuns squad with 17 RBI.Â
>> The move to third base by Kaitlyn Alderink and second base by Jade Gortarez back on March 26 triggered a turnaround in the Ragin' Cajuns defense. Since then Alderink has fielded cleanly all but five of the 58 chances she's seen, while Gortarez field successfully all but two of the 57 chances that she's seen.
>> Kendall Talley has produced 18 of her season total of 32 base hits in Sun Belt play, posting at least one base hit in 12 of the 15 league games she's been a primary starter in the outfield. Talley is batting .391 in SBC play, raising her season mark to the team's second-highest active figure at .354.
>> Entering the final month of the season, Kandra Lamb carries career-high totals with 14 wins and 133 strikeouts. In Sun Belt play, she has recorded an 8-1 mark with just 11 runs and 26 hits allowed over 47-1/3 innings of work while striking out 63 batters.Â
>> Summer Ellyson (16-5, 2.41 ERA) has been performing at her best in the second half of the season. From March 21-April 20, she turned in a personal 11-game win streak with a 1.67 ERA in which she limited foes to 14 earned runs and 49 hits over 69-1/3 innings pitched.
Â
SERIES HISTORYÂ
Series Record:Â Louisiana leads, 12-2
In Conway: Louisiana leads, 4-2
Last Meeting: 3/8/20 // LA 10, CCUÂ 2 (5) (Conway, S.C.)
Streak: Louisiana, +2
Â
Series Notables
- Series began with Coastal Carolina's entry into the Sun Belt Conference in 2017.
- Louisiana won rubber game the previous two trips to Conway, keeping alive streak of consecutive Sun Belt series won.
- Met five times in 2019 including SBC Tournament title game, then in lone conference series played in 2020
Â
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
2: Number of RBI Julie Rawls needs for the first 50-RBI season of her collegiate career
3: Ciara Bryan needs three hits to reach 70 in a single season for the first time in her career
17: Louisiana is in search of the program's 17th Sun Belt regular season title
13: Kaitlyn Alderink enters May with a career-high tying, 13-game hitting streak
.465: The team-leading batting average posted by Kaitlyn Adlerink in the month of April (20-for-43)
62: Dating back to March 2013, the Ragin' Cajuns have won 62 consecutive conference series – the nation's longest active streak
30-0:Â Louisiana's record when scoring five or more runs in a game this season
90:Â Number of career wins for Summer Ellyson, only the 5th Ragin' Cajuns pitcher to reach the milestone (1981-present)
Â
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Infield: The Ragin' Cajuns have one of the best infield units in the country, and it may have been strengthened further by the adjustments made during the final week of March. Returning shortstop Alissa Dalton remains the anchor of the unit with her astounding range at shortstop. Sure-handed defender Kaitlyn Alderink switched sides and moved to third base (from second base) to assist Dalton in locking down the left side. Jade Gortarez has settled in at second base after starting the year on the left side alternating between third and shortstop. Melissa Mayeux took over at first base in the new-look alignment, but expect Justice Milz to see time at the position as well.
Â
Outfield: Returning center fielder Raina O'Neal (hit .329 with nearly 30 extra base hits previous two seasons) is out for the regular season with an injury. Ciara Bryan has taken over in center field and continues to be one of most dynamic hitters in the nation. Kendall Talley closed March with a six-game hitting streak and seems to have claimed the left field slot. Right field has been a rotation of Jenna Kean, who adds elite speed to the base path, Karly Heath, and Julie Rawls who provides veteran experience for late-game adjustments.
Â
Pitchers: Efforts in the circle are led by Summer Ellyson once again. She led the nation in wins (39) in 2019, and was off to an 11-1 start (1.83 ERA) in 2020 with wins over Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Florida. Kandra Lamb emerged as the front-runner for the No. 2 spot following solid outings in her first career starts against ranked teams (at Louisiana State, vs. Oklahoma State). Casey Dixon, Vanessa Foreman and Karly Heath provide added depth and options to shorten innings pitched for Ellyson and Lamb.
Â
Catchers: Julie Rawls, the mainstay from the past two seasons, is joined by Bailey Curry who trained at the position in preseason practice and freshman Sophie Piskos who was called into duty the last week of March due to an injury with Rawls. Curry and Piskos allow for a rotation that can keep Rawls' legs rested for the postseason. Rawls has led Louisiana in slugging percentage the past two seasons.
Â
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
No. 13 Louisiana returns to Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park for Senior Weekend set for Thursday-Saturday, May 6-8 to face ULM in a three-game series that marks the final homes games of the 2021 season. For the first time all season, Lamson Park will be operating at 100 percent capacity.
The Ragin' Cajuns and Warhawks open the series with a 6 p.m. single game on Thursday (May 6), followed by another 6 p.m. contest on Friday (May 7) and the series finale at 2 p.m. on Saturday (May 8). The Friday and Saturday matchups are set to air on ESPN+.
Following the ULM series, Louisiana makes a return trip to Troy, Ala., and the campus of Troy University for the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The Ragin' Cajuns begin their quest to defend their 2019 tournament title on Wednesday, May 12 and seek to advance to the championship game that is scheduled for Saturday, May 15 at 2:30 p.m. (CDT).
Â
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.
Â
Dates: Saturday-Sunday, May 1-2, 2021
Location: Conway, S.C.
Stadium: St. John Stadium
Series Schedule:
     Sat., May 1 (DH) – 12 p.m. (CDT)
     Sun., May 2 – 10 a.m. (CDT)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Season Stats (PDF): Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Schedule and Results: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Rosters: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Radio:Â ESPN-1420 AMÂ |Â Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP
Television: ESPN+ |Â Talent: Alex Souza, PxP
Live Video:Â Game 1Â | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Twitter Updates:Â @RaginCajunsSB
Â
LEADING OFFÂ
>>Â No. 13 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball returns to Sun Belt Conference play and plays its final road games of the regular season Saturday-Sunday, May 1-2 in Conway, S.C., against Coastal Carolina. The Ragin' Cajuns and Chanticleers are set to play a 12 p.m. (CDT) doubleheader on Saturday and 10 a.m. (CDT) single game on Sunday.
>> It's the start of the final stretch of Sun Belt Conference play - and the regular season schedule - with just two series remaining including this weekend's matchup in Conway. Next week, Louisiana returns to Lamson Park and concludes the regular season with its Senior Weekend series vs. ULM.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns are back in Sun Belt play after a bye week in the league schedule the weekend of April 23-25. Louisiana wasn't idle, though, as the squad competed in a postseason primer with a two-game set in Tuscaloosa, Ala., at Top 5-ranked Alabama.
>>Â Despite a pair of setbacks last weekend in Tuscaloosa, Louisiana has claimed 20 of its past 23 games dating back to March 21. On the other side of the field will be the hottest team in the Sun Belt in a Coastal Carolina squad that has won eight consecutive games.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns headed to Conway in need of three wins and a pair of Texas State wins over Troy in order to capture the Sun Belt Conference's regular season title this weekend.
>> In the two previous trips to Conway since Coastal Carolina joined the Sun Belt (2018, 2020), Louisiana was unable to successfully complete a three-game sweep of Coastal Carolina.Â
Â
THIS 'N THATÂ Â
>> Entering the weekend, Louisiana (35) is one of only 10 NCAA Division I Softball teams to have reached or surpassed 35 wins. The list also includes Oklahoma (39), Arkansas (38), Clemson (37), Oklahoma State (36), Alabama (36), Texas (35), Florida (35), Tennessee (35) and Washington (35).
>> Over the past 23Â games (since March 21), the Ragin' Cajuns are batting .322, have generated 71Â extra base hits (37 doubles, 7 triples, 27 home runs) and are averaging 6.9 runs per game.
>> While not able to find a win in last weekend's trip to Tuscaloosa to face No. 5 Alabama, the Ragin' Cajuns did manage to out-hit the Crimson Tide 10-9 and the pitching staff limited UA to a .200 average.Â
>> Pitching and defense has made a tremendous upswing since the March 21 resurgence, sporting a 1.88 ERA and a .967 fielding percentage (had a 2.90 ERA and .960 fielding percentage in the 21 games prior).Â
>> Ciara Bryan, who has had a base hit in 41 of the 44 games played so far, is on the verge of a 70-hit season in which she has carried an average above .440 throughout its entirety. Bryan currently ranks No. 3 nationally with 67 base hits.
>> Kaitlyn Alderink's strong showing in April (.465 average)Â included a combined .500 average (9-for-18) in key Sun Belt series wins over Troy and Texas State.
>> Julie Rawls enters the month of May ranked Top 10 nationally and the leader of the Sun Belt Conference in RBI. Rawls' journey to the top of the Sun Belt, and a Top 10 national spot in RBI, was charged by batting 458 in April with runners in scoring position leading her to a team-leading 24 RBI over the 16 games in the month (1.5 RBI/game).
>> Since April 1, Jade Gortarez is batting .347 over the past 16 games played with seven extra base hits (4 doubles, 3 home runs) and the second-most runs produced on the Ragin' Cajuns squad with 17 RBI.Â
>> The move to third base by Kaitlyn Alderink and second base by Jade Gortarez back on March 26 triggered a turnaround in the Ragin' Cajuns defense. Since then Alderink has fielded cleanly all but five of the 58 chances she's seen, while Gortarez field successfully all but two of the 57 chances that she's seen.
>> Kendall Talley has produced 18 of her season total of 32 base hits in Sun Belt play, posting at least one base hit in 12 of the 15 league games she's been a primary starter in the outfield. Talley is batting .391 in SBC play, raising her season mark to the team's second-highest active figure at .354.
>> Entering the final month of the season, Kandra Lamb carries career-high totals with 14 wins and 133 strikeouts. In Sun Belt play, she has recorded an 8-1 mark with just 11 runs and 26 hits allowed over 47-1/3 innings of work while striking out 63 batters.Â
>> Summer Ellyson (16-5, 2.41 ERA) has been performing at her best in the second half of the season. From March 21-April 20, she turned in a personal 11-game win streak with a 1.67 ERA in which she limited foes to 14 earned runs and 49 hits over 69-1/3 innings pitched.
Â
SERIES HISTORYÂ
Series Record:Â Louisiana leads, 12-2
In Conway: Louisiana leads, 4-2
Last Meeting: 3/8/20 // LA 10, CCUÂ 2 (5) (Conway, S.C.)
Streak: Louisiana, +2
Â
Series Notables
- Series began with Coastal Carolina's entry into the Sun Belt Conference in 2017.
- Louisiana won rubber game the previous two trips to Conway, keeping alive streak of consecutive Sun Belt series won.
- Met five times in 2019 including SBC Tournament title game, then in lone conference series played in 2020
Â
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
2: Number of RBI Julie Rawls needs for the first 50-RBI season of her collegiate career
3: Ciara Bryan needs three hits to reach 70 in a single season for the first time in her career
17: Louisiana is in search of the program's 17th Sun Belt regular season title
13: Kaitlyn Alderink enters May with a career-high tying, 13-game hitting streak
.465: The team-leading batting average posted by Kaitlyn Adlerink in the month of April (20-for-43)
62: Dating back to March 2013, the Ragin' Cajuns have won 62 consecutive conference series – the nation's longest active streak
30-0:Â Louisiana's record when scoring five or more runs in a game this season
90:Â Number of career wins for Summer Ellyson, only the 5th Ragin' Cajuns pitcher to reach the milestone (1981-present)
Â
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Infield: The Ragin' Cajuns have one of the best infield units in the country, and it may have been strengthened further by the adjustments made during the final week of March. Returning shortstop Alissa Dalton remains the anchor of the unit with her astounding range at shortstop. Sure-handed defender Kaitlyn Alderink switched sides and moved to third base (from second base) to assist Dalton in locking down the left side. Jade Gortarez has settled in at second base after starting the year on the left side alternating between third and shortstop. Melissa Mayeux took over at first base in the new-look alignment, but expect Justice Milz to see time at the position as well.
Â
Outfield: Returning center fielder Raina O'Neal (hit .329 with nearly 30 extra base hits previous two seasons) is out for the regular season with an injury. Ciara Bryan has taken over in center field and continues to be one of most dynamic hitters in the nation. Kendall Talley closed March with a six-game hitting streak and seems to have claimed the left field slot. Right field has been a rotation of Jenna Kean, who adds elite speed to the base path, Karly Heath, and Julie Rawls who provides veteran experience for late-game adjustments.
Â
Pitchers: Efforts in the circle are led by Summer Ellyson once again. She led the nation in wins (39) in 2019, and was off to an 11-1 start (1.83 ERA) in 2020 with wins over Oklahoma State, Ole Miss and Florida. Kandra Lamb emerged as the front-runner for the No. 2 spot following solid outings in her first career starts against ranked teams (at Louisiana State, vs. Oklahoma State). Casey Dixon, Vanessa Foreman and Karly Heath provide added depth and options to shorten innings pitched for Ellyson and Lamb.
Â
Catchers: Julie Rawls, the mainstay from the past two seasons, is joined by Bailey Curry who trained at the position in preseason practice and freshman Sophie Piskos who was called into duty the last week of March due to an injury with Rawls. Curry and Piskos allow for a rotation that can keep Rawls' legs rested for the postseason. Rawls has led Louisiana in slugging percentage the past two seasons.
Â
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
No. 13 Louisiana returns to Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park for Senior Weekend set for Thursday-Saturday, May 6-8 to face ULM in a three-game series that marks the final homes games of the 2021 season. For the first time all season, Lamson Park will be operating at 100 percent capacity.
The Ragin' Cajuns and Warhawks open the series with a 6 p.m. single game on Thursday (May 6), followed by another 6 p.m. contest on Friday (May 7) and the series finale at 2 p.m. on Saturday (May 8). The Friday and Saturday matchups are set to air on ESPN+.
Following the ULM series, Louisiana makes a return trip to Troy, Ala., and the campus of Troy University for the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Tournament. The Ragin' Cajuns begin their quest to defend their 2019 tournament title on Wednesday, May 12 and seek to advance to the championship game that is scheduled for Saturday, May 15 at 2:30 p.m. (CDT).
Â
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.
-- RaginCajuns.com --
Â
Players Mentioned
2B/3B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF/DP
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
SS/2B
/ Softball
P/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
IF/DP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C/IF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ Softball
OF
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