University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
McNeese
Ragin' Cajuns Make Quick Stop at Lamson, Meet Cowgirls Again
3/7/2023 10:07:00 AM | Softball
Midweek contest gives Louisiana break in lengthy road stretch
Date: Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Location: Lafayette, La.
Stadium: Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park (2,790)
Game Time: 6:00 p.m. (CST)
MEDIA INFORMATION
Season Stats (PDF): Louisiana | McNeese
Rosters: Louisiana | McNeese
Schedule/Results: Louisiana | McNeese
Television: None
Radio: Talk Radio 960 AM | Talent: Cody Junot, PxP; Bobby Neveaux, analyst
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Live Coverage Links: Radio | Stats
Twitter Updates: @RaginCajunsSB
TEAM INFORMATION
LOUISIANA Ragin' Cajuns
NFCA: RV | USA: 24 | SBA: -- | D1S: --
Head Coach: Gerry Glasco (Illinois, '80)
Record at Louisiana: 218-61 (6th season)
Career Record: Same
Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .306 / .492 / .386
Team ERA: 3.17
MCNEESE Cowgirls
NFCA: -- | USA: -- | SBA: -- | D1S: --
Head Coach: James Landreneau
Record at McNeese: 224-132 (7th season)
Career Record: Same
Team Slash Line (AVG / SLG / OBP): .278 / .389 / .333
Team ERA: 2.44
LEADING OFF
>> Currently in the midst of a stretch of 13 out of 14 games away from home to start the month of March, the No. 24-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball team plays the lone game at Lamson Park on Wednesday, March 8 meeting I-10 neighbor McNeese.
>> It's a quick rematch with McNeese as the Cowgirls were Louisiana's first opponent at last weekend's Longhorn Invitational in Austin, Texas (Cajuns won 7-1).
>> The Wednesday matchup at Lamson Park is the first of the annual home-and-home midweek series between the two programs who will meet again in Lake Charles on April 4.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns win over McNeese in Austin last Friday was highlighted by Karly Heath's first-inning home run which provided a quick 3-0 lead and Sam Landry's three-hitter with seven strikeouts.
>> The all-time series with McNeese is the second-oldest in program history at 132 meetings, trailing only the 143 games played against ULM.
>> Louisiana and McNeese have met every season of the Gerry Glasco era (2018-present), with the exception of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, with the Ragin' Cajuns holding a 7-2 edge.
>> Prior to Longhorn Invitational matchup, each of the previous four regular season games - over the 2021 and 2022 seasons - between the Ragin' Cajuns and Cowgirls were decided by two runs or less.
>> In a series has roots dating back to the founding of the Ragin' Cajuns' program in 1981, Louisiana holds an all-time lead of 106-26.
THIS 'N THAT
>> Louisiana is 6-1 at Lamson Park in the 2023 season, last defeating Ole Miss, 3-2, in an eight-inning game on Monday, Feb. 27.
>> The trip to the Longhorn Invitational marked the first of the first of three consecutive weekends on the road for the Ragin' Cajuns to start the month of March. Louisiana travels to Gainesville, Florida for the final non-conference tournament this weekend, then opens Sun Belt play in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (at Southern Miss) from March 17-19.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns have won eight of their last 11 games since the five-game losing streak at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational - the lone losses coming to ranked foes (LSU, Texas).
>> Louisiana's challenging non-conference schedule has included seven ranked opponents so far. The squad is set to face an eighth ranked foe this weekend in Gainesville (Florida).
>> To date, Louisiana has played the third (3rd) toughest schedule in D1 Softball base upon records of teams in games already played. Entering the week, the teams faced thus far had a combined 249-114-2 (.685) record.
>> In the NCAA's first official release of the RPI (Monday, March 6), the Ragin' Cajuns were ranked No. 22.
>> Louisiana's 5-4 win over LSU in Baton Rouge on Saturday, Feb. 25, remains the Top 15-ranked Tigers only loss of the season.
>> Louisiana claimed another SEC victory, and potential RPI building block, with last Monday's 3-2 win over Ole Miss in eight innings at Lamson Park.
>> Sophomore Alexa Langeliers has powered Louisiana's last two weekday triumphs (UCF, Ole Miss) with a combined 10 RBI between the two contests. She produced a career-high seven RBI boosted by two home runs in the 8-0 win at UCF and accounted for all three RBI in the 3-2 win over Ole Miss.
>> The Clearwater-opening 4-1 win over Indiana marked Louisiana's 1,800th all-time win in program history - 5th most in NCAA D1 Softball history (joining UCLA, Arizona, Florida State, Texas A&M).
>> The win over Indiana in Clearwater gave Louisiana a 5-0 start under Gerry Glasco for the third consecutive season and fifth time in six years.
>> Louisiana's efforts on Mardi Gras day in Orlando marked the first time that UCF was run-ruled and no-hit since the 2022 Super Regional at No. 1 Oklahoma (May 27, 2022).
>> Nine (9) different players have posted at least one home run for the Ragin' Cajuns. Seven of them collected their home run during Opening Weekend at Lamson Park, then Stormy Kotzelnick and Jourdyn Campbell joined the group last weekend at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational.
DIAMOND NOTES
>> Louisiana was preseason ranked in three major national polls: No. 20 in D1Softball, No. 22 in Softball America and No. 24 in the ESPN/USA Softball poll. The Ragin' Cajuns were receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA poll, third in line from No. 25.
>> Louisiana, the three-time defending regular season and tournament champions, was the unanimous selection as the favorite to win the 2023 Sun Belt Conference title in a vote of the league's 12 head coaches.
>> In the pitcher's circle, the Ragin' Cajuns returned all 47 victories posted in the 2022 season headlined by the trio of Sam Landry (20), Meghan Schorman (17) and Kandra Lamb (9) who combined for all but one of the triumphs.
>> A year ago, Louisiana's pitching staff ranked Top 25 nationally in ERA (2.17), shutouts (16), strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.97) and was one of only three units in Division I Softball to amass 500-plus strikeouts (504).
NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
1: Louisiana's pitching staff has lowered its ERA nearly one full point since the Clearawater Invitational (from 4.13 to 3.17).
1.62: Team-leading ERA for Sam Landry over 17-1/3 innings pitched last week.
5: The Ragin' Cajuns offense has produced at least five base hits in all but two of the season's first 21 games.
8: Consecutive games the Ragin' Cajuns have scored the game's first run entering Wednesday's contest.
9: There are nine (9) different players who have posted at least one home run for the Ragin' Cajuns.
10: Number of RBI produced by Alexa Langeliers in the team's last two weekday games (UCF, Ole Miss).
12-4: Louisiana's record when scoring the game's first run.
12: Number of times (in 21 games) that the Ragin' Cajuns have scored in the first inning.
17: Number of non-conference games against Power 5 competition (including six matchups at the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational).
19: Number of stolen bases for Mihyia Davis in only 11 games of action.
25: The first-inning home run vs. McNeese in Austin marked the 25th for Karly Heath as a Ragin' Cajun.
1,808: Louisiana's number of all-time program victories (1981-present) which ranks No. 5 in NCAA D1 Softball history.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns travel to Gainesville, Florida to participate in the Bubly Invitational hosted by No. 12 Florida from Friday-Sunday, March 10-12 at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium.
The trip to Gainesville marks Louisiana's final non-conference tournament of the season. The Ragin' Cajuns are scheduled to face Rutgers (16-4) and No. 10 Florida (14-3) twice each over the first two days of the event before concluding action with an early Sunday morning game against Mercer (6-13).
Tournament play for Louisiana in Gainesville begins on Friday, March 10 at 12:00 p.m. (CST) vs. Rutgers followed by a 5:00 p.m. (CST) meeting with the host-Gators.
After the Bubly Invitational the Ragin' Cajuns have a break from midweek action then start Sun Belt Conference play from Friday-Sunday, March 17-19 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi at conference-newcomer Southern Miss.
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.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
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