University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, February 10
Lafayette
3 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
1-0
9
vs
1
DePaul
0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Louisiana
0
2
1
0
0
6
9
9
1
DePaul
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
1
Louisiana Sweeps on Opening Day at Lamson Park
2/10/2017 10:35:00 PM | Softball
LAFAYETTE – No. 11 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball kicked off a season-opening 23-game homestand and play in the 31st Annual Louisiana Classics at Lamson Park on Friday with a pair of 9-1 victories over DePaul and Iowa State.
The Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) used timely hitting, plate discipline and an unyielding effort from their starting pitchers in collecting the sweep.
The Ragin' Cajuns' day began with Alex Stewart holding DePaul to one hit over five innings, keeping the Blue Demons hitless the first 4-2/3 frames. Louisiana's offense drew five walks and got a two-out, three-run triple from Aleah Craighton in a six-run sixth inning that enforced the run rule.
In the nightcap, freshman pitcher Alyssa Denham made her collegiate debut in the circle and surrendered only one hit over six innings of work against Iowa State. A two-run home run by Craighton broke open a two-run affair in the sixth inning, then the Ragin' Cajuns strung together four consecutive two-out hits in building a four-run seventh inning that produced the final margin.
Louisiana continues play in the 31st Annual Louisiana Classics at Lamson Park on Saturday facing DePaul at 2 p.m. and Ball State at 4:30 p.m.
Craighton had multiple-RBI in both games, ending the day with five. Kelli Martinez delivered a pair of multiple-hit games in finishing 4-for-7 at the plate. Kara Gremillion scored a team-high four runs after reaching base six times in nine plate appearances in her first game as the Cajuns' leadoff hitter.
Stewart and Denham combined for 11 innings of two-hit softball. The Blue Demons and Cyclones hitters picked up just two hits combined off of the duo.
Louisiana vs. DePaul
Louisiana used a two-run homer by redshirt freshman Beth Ashley and an RBI double by Haley Hayden to grab a 3-0 edge over DePaul after three innings.
The Blue Demons' lone run came in the bottom of the fifth inning on a throwing error after Sabrina Kuchta doubled for the lone hit Stewart allowed.
The Ragin' Cajuns were able to stretch out the 3-1 lead after DePaul reliever Krista Dalgarn issued three straight walks to begin the top of the sixth inning, setting the wheels in motion for the six-run outburst. After Martinez delivered an RBI single for the first run and Hayden drew a bases loaded walk, Craighton's triple cleared the bases delivering the final blow.
Louisiana vs. Iowa State
After two scoreless innings both the Ragin' Cajuns and Cyclones took advantage of defensive miscues for a single run apiece in the third inning.
Louisiana jumped back in front in the top of the fourth inning on a bases-loaded walk by Hayden – the fourth free pass of the inning. Denham faced traffic in the bottom half and the tying run moved to second base after a throwing error, but she withstood to hold the Ragin' Cajuns lead at 2-1.
A miscommunication by a pair of ISU outfielders led to Louisiana breaking the game open in the sixth inning. After the two-out miscue, which plated a run, Craighton launched a two-run home run to stretch the advantage to 5-1.
Jaime Landry, Kassidy Zeringue, Martinez and Gremillion spearheaded the two-out attack in the seventh inning resulted in an additional four runs.
BASES NOTED: The win over DePaul marked the Ragin' Cajuns' 16th consecutive season-opening triumph…Louisiana improved to 34-3 all-time in season openers…Attendance for the day was 2,202…Haley Hayden (first base), Kassidy Zeringue (second base) and Kelli Martinez (left field) all debuted at new positions…Lexie Comeaux (catcher) and Beth Ashley (right field) made their first collegiate start…Haley Hayden is playing her third position in a Cajuns uniform – patrolled center field as a freshman in 2014 and covered second base the last two years…Aleah Craighton, who for her career has seen 53 percent of her hits go for extra bases, had both of her hits go for extra bases (triple vs. DePaul; home run vs. Iowa State)… Beth Ashley's home run was not only the first of her collegiate career, but it came in her first career collegiate at bat…Head coach Michael Lotief moved within 14 wins of his 700th career triumph (686-168-1)…His daughter, Chelsea Lotief, made her collegiate debut with pinch run appearances in both games…Dating back to 2015, Louisiana has won 56 of the last 59 games at Lamson Park (56-3 record)…Louisiana improved to 119-14-1 all-time in Louisiana Classics action.
The Ragin' Cajuns (2-0) used timely hitting, plate discipline and an unyielding effort from their starting pitchers in collecting the sweep.
The Ragin' Cajuns' day began with Alex Stewart holding DePaul to one hit over five innings, keeping the Blue Demons hitless the first 4-2/3 frames. Louisiana's offense drew five walks and got a two-out, three-run triple from Aleah Craighton in a six-run sixth inning that enforced the run rule.
In the nightcap, freshman pitcher Alyssa Denham made her collegiate debut in the circle and surrendered only one hit over six innings of work against Iowa State. A two-run home run by Craighton broke open a two-run affair in the sixth inning, then the Ragin' Cajuns strung together four consecutive two-out hits in building a four-run seventh inning that produced the final margin.
Louisiana continues play in the 31st Annual Louisiana Classics at Lamson Park on Saturday facing DePaul at 2 p.m. and Ball State at 4:30 p.m.
Craighton had multiple-RBI in both games, ending the day with five. Kelli Martinez delivered a pair of multiple-hit games in finishing 4-for-7 at the plate. Kara Gremillion scored a team-high four runs after reaching base six times in nine plate appearances in her first game as the Cajuns' leadoff hitter.
Stewart and Denham combined for 11 innings of two-hit softball. The Blue Demons and Cyclones hitters picked up just two hits combined off of the duo.
Louisiana vs. DePaul
Louisiana used a two-run homer by redshirt freshman Beth Ashley and an RBI double by Haley Hayden to grab a 3-0 edge over DePaul after three innings.
The Blue Demons' lone run came in the bottom of the fifth inning on a throwing error after Sabrina Kuchta doubled for the lone hit Stewart allowed.
The Ragin' Cajuns were able to stretch out the 3-1 lead after DePaul reliever Krista Dalgarn issued three straight walks to begin the top of the sixth inning, setting the wheels in motion for the six-run outburst. After Martinez delivered an RBI single for the first run and Hayden drew a bases loaded walk, Craighton's triple cleared the bases delivering the final blow.
Louisiana vs. Iowa State
After two scoreless innings both the Ragin' Cajuns and Cyclones took advantage of defensive miscues for a single run apiece in the third inning.
Louisiana jumped back in front in the top of the fourth inning on a bases-loaded walk by Hayden – the fourth free pass of the inning. Denham faced traffic in the bottom half and the tying run moved to second base after a throwing error, but she withstood to hold the Ragin' Cajuns lead at 2-1.
A miscommunication by a pair of ISU outfielders led to Louisiana breaking the game open in the sixth inning. After the two-out miscue, which plated a run, Craighton launched a two-run home run to stretch the advantage to 5-1.
Jaime Landry, Kassidy Zeringue, Martinez and Gremillion spearheaded the two-out attack in the seventh inning resulted in an additional four runs.
BASES NOTED: The win over DePaul marked the Ragin' Cajuns' 16th consecutive season-opening triumph…Louisiana improved to 34-3 all-time in season openers…Attendance for the day was 2,202…Haley Hayden (first base), Kassidy Zeringue (second base) and Kelli Martinez (left field) all debuted at new positions…Lexie Comeaux (catcher) and Beth Ashley (right field) made their first collegiate start…Haley Hayden is playing her third position in a Cajuns uniform – patrolled center field as a freshman in 2014 and covered second base the last two years…Aleah Craighton, who for her career has seen 53 percent of her hits go for extra bases, had both of her hits go for extra bases (triple vs. DePaul; home run vs. Iowa State)… Beth Ashley's home run was not only the first of her collegiate career, but it came in her first career collegiate at bat…Head coach Michael Lotief moved within 14 wins of his 700th career triumph (686-168-1)…His daughter, Chelsea Lotief, made her collegiate debut with pinch run appearances in both games…Dating back to 2015, Louisiana has won 56 of the last 59 games at Lamson Park (56-3 record)…Louisiana improved to 119-14-1 all-time in Louisiana Classics action.
#GeauxCajuns
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Stewart, Alex (1-0)
L: Landwehrmier, Kayla (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hayden, Haley 1
3B: Craighton, Aleah 1
HR: Ashley, Beth 1
RBI: Hayden, Haley 2 ; Craighton, Aleah 3 ; Chavez, Daniella 1 ; Ashley, Beth 2 ; Martinez, Kelli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gremillion, Kara 1 ; Hayden, Haley 1 ; Craighton, Aleah 1 ; Smith, Kendall 1 ; Ashley, Beth 1 ; Lotief, Chelsea 1 ; Terrio, Taylor 1 ; Zeringue, Kassidy 1 ; Martinez, Kelli 1
SB: Gremillion, Kara 1 ; Sanders, DJ 1
CS: Martinez, Kelli 1
Batting:
2B: Kuchta, Sabrina 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Andris, Erin 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball3B
/ Softball1B/OF
/ Softball
OF/C
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
2B
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