Softball Preview: Texas State Series

Games 36-38: No. 17 Louisiana (30-5, 12-0 Sun Belt) at Texas State (30-8, 11-3 Sun Belt)
Friday, Apr. 14 (DH) • 5 p.m. (CDT) • Bobcat Stadium (2,790) • San Marcos, Texas
Saturday, Apr. 15 • 2 p.m. (CDT) • Bobcat Stadium (2,790) • San Marcos, Texas

Game Notes: Louisiana | Texas State
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM • Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP
TV: None
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Video: Texas State All-Access
Rosters: Louisiana | Texas State
Schedules: Louisiana | Texas State
Season Stats: Louisiana | Texas State
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunsSB
Opponent's Twitter: @TXStateSoftball

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 714-173-1 (15th season) Record at Louisiana: Same

Texas State: Ricci Woodard (New Mexico State, 1991)
Career Record: 586-370-1 (17th season) Record at Texas State: Same

5 THINGS TO KNOW
1 – The Texas State series kicks off back-to-back weekends in which the Ragin' Cajuns play the two teams nearest them in the Sun Belt standings. It's the second-place Bobcats this weekend, then third-place Georgia State next week.

2 – It's a test of wills this weekend at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos. Louisiana has the Sun Belt's top-ranked offense (.339 avg/60 HR) while Texas State counters with the top-ranked pitching staff (1.22 ERA/273 K).

3 – The middle of the order has been strengthened the past two weeks with Daniella Chavez (No. 5 hitter) tallying 12 RBI the past seven games and Corin Voinchè (No. 7 hitter) producing four hits in each of the past two Sun Belt series.

4 – The Cajuns offense has found a consistent rhythm since the onset of Sun Belt play. The squad has hit .315 or higher in all four series, highlighted by a .420 showing against Troy, and is hitting .350 overall in league play.

5 – Louisiana seeks to extend its school and Sun Belt Conference record streak of 33 consecutive league series won. The streak dates back to March 2013.

FOR STARTERS
17th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns Softball travels to San Marcos, Texas, for a three-game Sun Belt series at Texas State that begins with a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Good Friday and wraps up Saturday with a 2 p.m. single game. The series features two of the three teams in the Sun Belt (Georgia State also included) in the race for the regular season championship. Louisiana currently sits first in the standings at 12-0, while Texas State is two games back in second place with an 11-3 mark.

SERIES TO WATCH
With the App State series cancellation resulting in the league champion being determined by percentage points this season, the results at Bobcat Field should play a key factor in the race.

ANSWERING THE CALL
The Ragin' Cajuns offense has risen to the occasion each time the squad has faced one of the top pitchers in the Sun Belt Conference. Louisiana produced 13 runs in 10-1/3 innings against UTA's Sam Clakley, tallied 12 runs over the nine innings worked by South Alabama's Devin Brown and collected 13 runs off Georgia Southern's Dixie Raley limiting her time in the circle to 3-2/3 innings.

PITCHING DUEL
The Ragin' Cajuns-Bobcats series features the top two pitching staffs in the Sun Belt Conference. Texas State tops the league with a 1.22 ERA and Louisiana's 1.87 ERA ranks second. The Ragin' Cajuns are led by reigning SBC Pitcher of the Year Alex Stewart, who sports a career league record of 28-1. The Bobcats rely on Randi Rupp, the conference's leader in ERA (0.95) and strikeouts (204).

RAGIN' ON OFFENSE
Louisiana heads into the series in San Marcos on a recent trend of producing big run innings in the early stages of games. Over the last three games, the Ragin' Cajuns have generated five different innings of four-plus runs – all in the first three innings. On Tuesday, it was a six-run first inning and seven-run third inning that put Southeastern Louisiana away.

PREMIER SLUGGER
DJ Sanders is the nation's leader in home runs (20) and slugging percentage (1.047). Of her 42 hits, a total of 29 have gone for extra bases (9 doubles, 20 homers). Her 20 home runs represent a new career-high total, surpassing the 18 hit just last season.

HERE COMES CRAIGHTON
Pitched around the entire first month of the season (23 walks alone in February) Aleah Craighton is now seeing more pitches and once again becoming a deadly weapon in the Cajuns arsenal. Last weekend against Troy, she hit three home runs – one in each game of the series – as part of a five-hit, six RBI effort.

STEWART'S STRONGHOLD
Alex Stewart has yielded just four runs and 14 hits over her past 25 innings of work dating back to the March 25-26 series at South Alabama.

SENSATIONAL START
At 12-0 in Sun Belt play, the Ragin' Cajuns are off to their best start since the 2005 squad began with the same mark. The only previous teams to extend the undefeated SBC start past 12 games were the 2001 (started 18-0) and 2004 (finished 18-0) teams.

SUN BELT SERIES STREAK
Louisiana has won 33 consecutive Sun Belt Conference series (school and SBC record streak). The streak began in March 2013 with a three-game sweep of FIU. The last school to claim a SBC series from the Cajuns was South Alabama (March 16-17, 2013).

BEYOND THE NUMBERS
The offensive statistics are what pop out when you glance at DJ Sanders' stat line. However, head coach Michael Lotief points out that her impact extends to defense and leadership qualities. "It's the total package that is impressive, not just home runs." Lotief said. "She's making some incredible plays that are not easy to make and she's making them look easy. Unlike in years past, she's become vocal and is becoming a leader helping our younger kids feel comfortable playing the game."

DANIELLA DELIVERS
Daniella Chavez is once again providing the Ragin' Cajuns with key contributions from the middle of the lineup. The No. 5-hole hitter has driven home 12 runs over the past seven games (6 in Georgia Southern series, 4 in Troy series, 2 vs. SLU). Earlier this season, the Kansas transfer provided 21 RBI over a span of 15 games from Feb. 23-Mar. 18.

SWITCH AT SEVEN
Corin Voinchè has filled the No. 7 spot in the lineup the past two weekends and solidified the position with productive plate appearances. The senior infielder, who started at first base, picked up four hits each of the last two weekend series (Georgia Southern, Troy). Voinchè has hit .421 (8-for-19), doubled twice, homered and provided five RBI over the past two weekends.

RELIABLE PERFORMANCE
The Cajuns pitching staff has yielded no more than five runs in a single game through the first 35 games. The unit has held the opposition to two runs or less in 22 of those 35 outings, tossed 10 shutouts and ranks 24th nationally with a 1.87 ERA (one of 27 staffs with sub-2.00 ERA).

LOUISIANA-TEXAS STATE SERIES
Series Record: Louisiana leads 27-3
Sun Belt Games: Louisiana leads 8-1
In Lafayette: Louisiana leads 17-2
In San Marcos, Texas: Louisiana leads 2-1
Neutral Site: Louisiana leads 8-0
Current Streak: Louisiana won 7
Last Meeting: 5/14/16 in Mobile, Ala.
(Louisiana 12, Texas State 0 - 5 inn.)

Last 10 Series Meetings
3/29/14         LA 5, TXST 2              Lamson Park
3/30/14         LA 8, TXST 3              Lamson Park
3/28/15         TXST 14, LA 13 San Marcos, Texas
3/28/15         LA 15, TXST 2 (5) San Marcos, Texas
3/29/15         LA 4, TXST 0              San Marcos, Texas
4/2/16           LA 7, TXST 0              Lamson Park
4/2/16           LA 5, TXST 2              Lamson Park
4/3/16           LA 3, TXST 0              Lamson Park
5/13/16         LA 9, TXST 7              Mobile, Ala. (Sun Belt Tournament)
5/14/16         LA 12, TXST 0 (5)    Mobile, Ala. (Sun Belt Tournament)

Series Notes
Fourth Sun Belt series, overall, and second in San Marcos since Texas State joined the league in 2014...Cajuns hold an 8-1 edge in Sun Belt regular season play...Last series in San Marcos, held in March 2015, marked Louisiana's lone prior visit to Bobcat Stadium...Cajuns won all five meetings in 2016, sweeping the series at Lamson Park and claiming two wins at the Sun Belt Tournament in Mobile including the championship game matchup...Ragin' Cajuns have won 14 of the last 15 meetings and carry a seven-game series win streak into this season's matchup...Programs first met in a doubleheader at Lamson Park in February 1986...Louisiana won the first 12 meetings prior to a 4-2 Texas State win April 19, 2000...Single game at Lamson Park in 2004 was the last regular season meeting prior to Texas State's entry into the Sun Belt...Ragin' Cajuns won elimination games in 2009 NCAA Waco Regional and 2011 Austin Regional.

Last Series (April 2-3, 2016 - Lamson Park)
Louisiana scored in four straight innings after a scoreless first inning in Game 1 and captured a 7-0 win. Alex Stewart struck out 11 and posted a three-hit shutout and the offense launched three home runs and plated six runs off of Randi Rupp. Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the sixth inning of Game 2, the Ragin' Cajuns used three home runs – all with no outs – to produce a five-run rally. Stewart pitched another shutout and the Cajuns used solo home runs from Haley Hayden (third inning), Sara Corbello (fourth inning) and Aleah Craighton (sixth inning) to claim a 3-0 win that completed the sweep.

Last Series in San Marcos (March 28-29, 2015)
The two teams combined for eight home runs, 24 hits and 27 runs in a wild Game 1. Texas State took the opening game 14-13 utilizing a 12-hit attack that featured four home runs. The Cajuns kept producing in Game 2 and Alex Stewart, making her first career Sun Belt start, settled down the Bobcats hitters. Louisiana produced a school-record seven home runs and Stewart held the hosts to two runs and two hits over three innings in a 15-2 (5 inn.) triumph. In the series finale, Stewart tossed a complete game shutout with a career-high 11 strikeouts as UL claimed the series with a 4-0 win.

DIAMOND NOTES
#WhatEverItTakes: Haley Hayden has shown she's willing to play whatever role necessary to see the Cajuns succeed. Earlier in the season she started at first base. The past two weekends in Sun Belt play she's played in right field. Whether it is helping mentor the pitchers at first base or delivering an outfield assist, Hayden's versatility is a valuable asset.

#MagicNumber: Louisiana is undefeated (26-0) when scoring at least six runs. The Ragin' Cajuns have produced six runs or more in 26 of the season's 35 games.

#HighPerformance: Louisiana's offense is hitting .355 during the current 13-game winning streak. The Ragin' Cajuns have generated six or more runs in all but two of the games, outscored foes 113-28 and strung together 119 base hits (41 for extra bases).

#AscendingToTheTop: Haley Hayden owns 228 career runs scored, leaving her three runs shy of passing Jerie Alexander (1999-2002) for second place on the career list. After Alexander, the march to catching Nerissa Myers' record total 243 runs scored from 2010-13 ensues.

#PowerofUs: It's been a staple of the program throughout the years – production from top to bottom. It's no different this season. The Cajuns are two hitters shy of having eight starters with 30-plus hits (29 by Comeaux and Craighton). Seven starters have generated double digit RBI, with six of those individuals already having reached 20 RBI.17th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns Softball travels to San Marcos, Texas, for a three-game Sun Belt series at Texas State that begins with a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Good Friday

#PatienceIsAVirtue: The Ragin' Cajuns hitters have turned patience and strong plate discipline into 192 walks, a tally which ranks second nationally trailing only Auburn's 198. Louisiana has drawn five or more walks in 20 of 35 games.

#RespectEarned: Aleah Craighton generated 58 extra base hits, of which 30 were home runs, in her first two seasons. Her RBI totals exceeded 40-plus both years. The previous seasons production has earned her the reputation as the Ragin' Cajuns most-feared hitter as evident by 37 walks she's been issued (23 alone in February), plus 10 times being hit by a pitch.

#HummingAlong: With 43 hits to her credit, senior Haley Hayden is on pace for a potential fourth season of 60-plus hits. Hayden is nearing the program's all-time Top 5 career hits list. With 252 career hits she stands 24 shy of fifth place (Jana Mower, 276).

#AmongTheBest: Louisiana has an active streak of 64 consecutive weeks ranked in the national polls dating back to April 2013 and has finished ranked in one of the national polls each of the past nine seasons (2008-16) and 24 times in the past 27 seasons (1990-2016).

#GeauxCajuns

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sara Corbello

Aleah Craighton

Haley Hayden

DJ Sanders

Alex Stewart

Footer

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics