Softball Preview: Longwood

Game 19: #5 Louisiana (17-1, 0-0 Sun Belt) vs. Longwood (9-5, 0-0 Big South)
Wednesday, March 9 • 6 p.m. (CST) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.

Game Notes: Louisiana | Longwood
Radio: KROF 960-AM • Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP; Bobby Neveaux, color
TV: None
Live Stats
Live Video (purchase necessary)
Rosters: Louisiana | Longwood
Schedule/Results: Louisiana | Longwood
Statistics: Louisiana | Longwood
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunSB
Opponents Twitter: @LongwoodSB

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Record at Louisiana: 655-160-1 (14th season) Career Record: Same

Longwood: Kathy Riley (East Carolina, 1981)
Record at Longwood: 587-323-1 (19th season) Career Record: 666-390-1 (23rd season)

CAJUNS RETURN TO LAMSON, HOST LONGWOOD IN MIDWEEK
No. 5 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball returns to Lamson Park carrying an 11-game win streak after a three-game sweep last weekend at Southern Miss. The squad has four games scheduled this week, starting with a single game vs. Longwood at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 9.

DADDY-DAUGHTER NIGHT AT LAMSON
The Ragin' Cajuns Athletics Department is offering a "Daddy-Daughter Night" promotion for Wednesday's contest with Longwood. Dads and daughters can purchase a $4 general admission ticket for an outfield seat. They will receive a voucher for free popcorn, courtesy of Sodexo.

POSTSEASON PRIMER
Longwood was a participant in the 2015 Knoxville Regional of the NCAA Tournament, giving a NCAA Regional-like feel to Wednesday's matchup. Under head coach Kathy Riley, the Lancers have won 30-plus games five of the past six years (2010-15) and posted an NCAA Regional win in 2015. Entering its ninth season playing at the Division I level (2008-present), Longwood has never posted a season below the .500 mark. The Lancers have claimed the Big South Conference regular season title twice (2013, 2015) since joining the league in 2013.

LANDMARK ACCOMPLISHMENT
Lexie Elkins homered three times at Southern Miss, increasing her career home run total to 70. She became only the fourth player in Ragin' Cajuns softball history to reach 70 career home runs, joining Danyele Gomez (83), Holly Tankersley (71) and Christi Orgeron (70).

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Lexie Elkins moved into a tie for third place in school history with Christi Orgeron (2009-12) at 70 career home runs on Saturday at Southern Miss. The senior catcher needs two more home runs to pass Holly Tankersley (71 HR from 2004, 2006-08) for sole possession of second place, leaving only Danyele Gomez's 83 left to top.

SIZZLING SANDERS
Columbus, Miss., native DJ Sanders had quite the Homecoming last weekend at Southern Miss. Sanders finished 5-for-8 in the series, with four of the five hits being home runs. She scored multiple runs all three games, accounting for eight, and posted three multiple-RBI games in reaching a series-high seven RBI. The production earned her Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Week honors, the first of her career.

SIZZLING SANDERS (Part 2)
DJ Sanders has recorded multiple RBI in each of the past five games. During the streak, which dates back to Feb. 27 vs. Alcorn, she is hitting 10-for-14 (.714) with five home runs and 13 RBI.

IN A GROOVE
Kelsey Vincent brings a 10-game hitting streak into this week's play, the longest of her career. It's also tied with Lexie Elkins (Feb. 14-27) for the longest this season by a Cajuns hitter. During the streak, Vincent is batting 14-for-28 (.500) with four doubles, three home runs and 15 RBI.

MAKING THEM EARN IT
Louisiana's pitching staff has hurled eight shutouts and allowed only 29 runs and 84 hits over 106 innings. Ragin' Cajuns pitchers have yielded only 19 walks over the 106 innings worked.

RAGIN' CAJUNS NOW TOP 5 IN BOTH NATIONAL POLLS
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns softball team is now ranked inside the Top 5 of both national polls following the release of the latest rankings on Tuesday.

The Ragin' Cajuns moved up one spot to No. 5 and entered the Top 5 of the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 poll for the first time this season. Louisiana is among the NFCA's Top 5 for the first time since Feb. 24, 2015. The No. 5 billing in the NFCA poll now mirrors the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 ranking which listed Louisiana (17-1) at No. 5 last Tuesday. The Ragin' Cajuns maintained the No. 5 spot in this week's edition of the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll.

A second straight week in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 5 marks the first consecutive weeks with a Top 5 ranking for the Ragin' Cajuns since the May 5 and May 12 NFCA polls of 1999.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The No. 5-ranked Ragin' Cajuns remain at Lamson Park and host South Alabama in the Sun Belt Conference-opening series scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, March 12-13.

#GeauxCajuns

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lexie Elkins

DJ Sanders

Kelsey Vincent

Footer

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Related News