University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
James Madison
Back in San Marcos, Cajuns Seek Season Sweep of Sun Belt Titles
5/8/2024 7:51:00 PM | Softball
No. 18 Louisiana eyes fifth consecutive crown in the SBC Championship tournament
Dates: Thursday-Saturday, May 9-11, 2024
Location: San Marcos, Texas
Stadium: Bobcat Softball Stadium
Tournament Opener:
     Thurs., May 9 vs. James Madison – 10:00 a.m. (CDT)
MEDIA INFORMATION
SBC Championship Central | Championship Bracket
Game Notes (PDF):Â Louisiana
Sun Belt Conference: Standings | Schedule | Stats
Television: ESPN+ |Â Talent:Â Noah Frary (PxP), Dorian Craft (analyst)
Radio:Â The Goat 103.3 FM/1420 AM and Varsity Network |Â Talent: Cody Junot, PxP; Bobby Neveaux, analyst
Live Stats: CajunStats.com
Live Coverage Links: Video | Radio | Stats
Twitter Updates:Â @RaginCajunsSB
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LEADING OFF
>> Postseason play begins for No. 18 Louisiana on Thursday, May 9 at 10:00 a.m. when the squad opens play in the Sun Belt Championship tournament at Bobcat Softball Stadium in San Marcos, Texas.
>> Louisiana, regular season champions for the fifth straight season and 20th time in the 23 seasons of completed play in league history, seeks a sweep of the Sun Belt's 2024 season titles.
>> UL has claimed the SBC Championship title 18 times in the 23-year history of the event, and seeks to claim a fifth consecutive championship.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns most recent titles were claimed in San Marcos (Texas) in 2019, Troy (Alabama) in 2021, Mobile (Alabama) in 2022 and at Lamson Park in 2023.
>> Entering the 2024 event in San Marcos, the Cajuns have won 14 straight games in the SBC Championship tournament dating back to 2019.
>> UL has played for the SBC Championship tournament title in all but two of the previous 23 events, previously winning a title in San Marcos in 2019.
>> It's the second trip to San Marcos for the Ragin' Cajuns. In April, Louisiana won the weekend series in a Top 25 matchup with Texas State.
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SUN BELT TOURNAMENT HISTORY
All-Time Record: 72-9 (.889)
Championships: 18
Last Championship: 2023 (Lafayette, La.)
Current Streak: W14 (2019-23)
Longest Streak: W22 (2000-06)
Most Consecutive Titles: 7 (2000-06)
- No. 1 seed for the 21st time in the 24-year history of the event.
- At least a Top 2 seed in all but one of the previous SBC Championship tournaments (2013).
- Won tournament opener each year since 2010; played for title last nine times (2014-19, 2021-23).
- Winners of four straight tournaments, Cajuns seek a fifth consecutive title which would mark the longest streak since seven straight from 2000-06.
- Louisiana has an active 14-game win streak in the SBC Championship that began the last time the tournament was held in San Marcos (2019).
- UL won the title the last time the event was held in San Marcos in 2019 – first title of the Glasco era – beginning the current string of consecutive titles.
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THIS 'N THAT
>> Louisiana earned the No. 1 seed in the SBC Championship by sweeping six of the eight SBC series. The Cajuns claimed the series win all eight weekends, extending the streak of consecutive SBC series won to 89.
>> Mihyia Davis (Player of the Year), Brooke Ellestad (Newcomer of the Year) and Gerry Glasco (Coach of the Year) took top honors on the All-Sun Belt Team.
>> Louisiana placed a league-high seven players on the All-Sun Belt Team. Honorees included: Mihyia Davis, Brooke Ellestad, Sam Landry, Chloe Riassetto, Sam Roe, Alexa Langeliers and Laney Credeur.
>> The Ragin' Cajuns, winners of 31 of their last 35 games after a 9-12 start, have earned the program's 25th consecutive 40-win season.
>> UL ranks No. 1 in the nation in double plays turned. The 41 DPs are the most in the Glasco era, and highest since 2002 (when 25 were turned).
>> The Cajuns defense is fielding .978 the past 34 games (30-4 record); the unit fielded .953 the first 22 games (10-12 record).
>> Sam Landry, owner of 61 career wins, leads UL pitchers with 149 strikeouts.
>> Mihyia Davis is batting a career-best .420, leads UL with 26 multi-hit games and was the only SBC player to reach 80 hits in the regular season.
>> Louisiana is 32-4 when scoring first, though five of the last seven wins since April 23 have come when the opposition scored first.
>> UL is one of the top producers of two-out RBI at 138, with seven players in double digits led by Alexa Langeliers (20) and Brooke Ellestad (20).
>> In SBC play the Cajuns had eight starters hit above .300, of which five finished above .330 led by Brooke Ellestad's .474 mark.
>> UL pitching limited foes to .221 hitting in SBC play (130 hits over 164 IP).
>> Brooke Ellestad posted 34 RBI in SBC play, charged by 26 RBI in the first half,, becoming the first Cajun to reach the 30-mark since 2017 (DJ Sanders).
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NUMBERS TO KNEAUX
0.64: ERA for Sam Landry over the last 33 innings pitched, covering her last seven regular season outings.
.342:Â UL's offense batted a Sun Belt-best .342 in conference play, led by eight batters in the lineup finishing with a .300-plus mark.
5:Â UL's string of five straight SBC regular season titles is the longest run since the program record six straight from 2001-06.
34:Â Brooke Ellestad was the Sun Belt leader with 34 RBI in conference play, the first Cajun to produce 30-plus RBI in SBC play since 2017.
41:Â Number of double plays turned, the nation-leading total, of which 32 were ground ball variety.
70:Â Mihyia Davis has recorded a second straight 70-hit season. She's on pace to challenge the single-season record (92, Danyele Gomez).
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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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