University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Friday, April 14
San Marcos, Texas
5 p.m.
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
31-5, 13-0
8
at
1
Texas State
30-9, 11-4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Louisiana
2
0
2
3
0
1
0
8
10
0
Texas State
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
2
Sanders, Cajuns Surge Past Bobcats in Series Opener
4/14/2017 11:20:00 PM | Softball
SAN MARCOS, Texas – DJ Sanders produced three home runs, highlighted by two grand slams in the nightcap, and 17th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball extended its season-best winning streak to 15 games with an 8-1, 12-4 (6 inn.) sweep of Texas State on Good Friday at Bobcat Stadium.
The Ragin' Cajuns (32-5, 14-0 Sun Belt) captured the series victory from the Bobcats (30-10, 11-5 Sun Belt), extending the school and Sun Belt record for consecutive conference series won to 34 straight dating back to March 2013.
Improving to 14-0 in Sun Belt play, the squad joined the teams from 2001 (started 18-0) and 2004 (finished 18-0) as the only ones in program history to extend the undefeated league start past 12 games.
Louisiana and Texas State close out the Easter weekend series on Saturday with a single game slated for 2 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.
Saturday's game can be heard in the Lafayette area on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM and worldwide on the RadioPup app. Links for a live video stream (fee applies) and live statistics, offered by Texas State, can be accessed at RaginCajuns.com on the softball schedule page.
Sanders' two grand slams in Game 2 increased her season total to six which ties the NCAA single-season record last reached by former Cajun Christi Orgeron in 2012. The junior shortstop has launched four grand slams in the last week alone: Apr. 8 vs. Troy (Game 2), Apr. 11 vs. SE Louisiana and Friday evening's production.
Both grand slams played a pivotal role in the Cajuns completing the sweep. The first broke a 1-1 tie in the second inning, while the second broke the game open in the fifth inning by extending Louisiana's lead to 10-2.
Sanders increased her nation-leading home run total to 23 which is tied with Orgeron and Holly Tankersley for fourth-most in a single-season in the Ragin' Cajuns record book. The eight RBI she picked up pushed her season total to 60 marking her new career-high total, surpassing the team-leading 58 she produced just last season.
Kelli Martinez was 3-for-3 at the plate and the trio of Aleah Craighton, Kara Gremillion and Corin Voinchè each tallied two hits in combining with Sanders to produce the bulk of the 14-hit attack off of Bobcats pitching.
Haley Hayden was the catalyst in the opening game of the twinbill. She was 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and four RBI as the Ragin' Cajuns pushed across the most runs off of Texas State starting pitcher Randi Rupp this season.
Hayden got the Cajuns off to a quick start with a two-run homer in the first inning and later doubled home two runs in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 6-1.
The last run Hayden scored, when Craighton followed her fourth-inning double with a single down the right field line, increased her career total to 231 which moved her past Jerie Alexander (230 from 1999-2002) for second place on the career runs scored list.
Alyssa Denham delivered a masterful relief performance after taking over for Alex Stewart, who was experiencing illegal pitch issues, in the first inning.
Denham recorded the final two outs of the first inning after an Ariel Ortiz RBI single trimmed the Cajuns lead to 2-1 - the first of 13 straight Bobcats hitters she would retire through two outs in the fifth inning. She was commanding in the circle, retiring 17 of the first 19 batters she faced after beginning her relief appearance, struck out five and would allow only two hits (both in seventh inning).
Louisiana reached at least six runs for the fifth straight game and 12th time in 14 Sun Belt contests. The nation's leader in scoring offense, the Ragin' Cajuns have reached six runs 28 times in 37 games, overall, and are undefeated (28-0) when hitting the mark.
The Ragin' Cajuns increased their all-time series lead over Texas State to 29-3 and extended their series win streak to nine games. Making just the second visit ever to San Marcos, Louisiana improved to 4-1 against Texas State at Bobcat Stadium.
The Ragin' Cajuns (32-5, 14-0 Sun Belt) captured the series victory from the Bobcats (30-10, 11-5 Sun Belt), extending the school and Sun Belt record for consecutive conference series won to 34 straight dating back to March 2013.
Improving to 14-0 in Sun Belt play, the squad joined the teams from 2001 (started 18-0) and 2004 (finished 18-0) as the only ones in program history to extend the undefeated league start past 12 games.
Louisiana and Texas State close out the Easter weekend series on Saturday with a single game slated for 2 p.m. at Bobcat Stadium.
Saturday's game can be heard in the Lafayette area on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM and worldwide on the RadioPup app. Links for a live video stream (fee applies) and live statistics, offered by Texas State, can be accessed at RaginCajuns.com on the softball schedule page.
Sanders' two grand slams in Game 2 increased her season total to six which ties the NCAA single-season record last reached by former Cajun Christi Orgeron in 2012. The junior shortstop has launched four grand slams in the last week alone: Apr. 8 vs. Troy (Game 2), Apr. 11 vs. SE Louisiana and Friday evening's production.
Both grand slams played a pivotal role in the Cajuns completing the sweep. The first broke a 1-1 tie in the second inning, while the second broke the game open in the fifth inning by extending Louisiana's lead to 10-2.
Sanders increased her nation-leading home run total to 23 which is tied with Orgeron and Holly Tankersley for fourth-most in a single-season in the Ragin' Cajuns record book. The eight RBI she picked up pushed her season total to 60 marking her new career-high total, surpassing the team-leading 58 she produced just last season.
Kelli Martinez was 3-for-3 at the plate and the trio of Aleah Craighton, Kara Gremillion and Corin Voinchè each tallied two hits in combining with Sanders to produce the bulk of the 14-hit attack off of Bobcats pitching.
Haley Hayden was the catalyst in the opening game of the twinbill. She was 3-for-3 at the plate with three runs scored and four RBI as the Ragin' Cajuns pushed across the most runs off of Texas State starting pitcher Randi Rupp this season.
Hayden got the Cajuns off to a quick start with a two-run homer in the first inning and later doubled home two runs in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 6-1.
The last run Hayden scored, when Craighton followed her fourth-inning double with a single down the right field line, increased her career total to 231 which moved her past Jerie Alexander (230 from 1999-2002) for second place on the career runs scored list.
Alyssa Denham delivered a masterful relief performance after taking over for Alex Stewart, who was experiencing illegal pitch issues, in the first inning.
Denham recorded the final two outs of the first inning after an Ariel Ortiz RBI single trimmed the Cajuns lead to 2-1 - the first of 13 straight Bobcats hitters she would retire through two outs in the fifth inning. She was commanding in the circle, retiring 17 of the first 19 batters she faced after beginning her relief appearance, struck out five and would allow only two hits (both in seventh inning).
Louisiana reached at least six runs for the fifth straight game and 12th time in 14 Sun Belt contests. The nation's leader in scoring offense, the Ragin' Cajuns have reached six runs 28 times in 37 games, overall, and are undefeated (28-0) when hitting the mark.
The Ragin' Cajuns increased their all-time series lead over Texas State to 29-3 and extended their series win streak to nine games. Making just the second visit ever to San Marcos, Louisiana improved to 4-1 against Texas State at Bobcat Stadium.
#GeauxCajuns
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Denham, Alyssa (13-1)
L: Rupp, Randi (20-6)
Batting:
2B: Hayden, Haley 1 ; Comeaux, Lexie 1
HR: Hayden, Haley 1 ; Sanders, DJ 1
RBI: Hayden, Haley 4 ; Craighton, Aleah 2 ; Sanders, DJ 2
SF: Craighton, Aleah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gremillion, Kara 2 ; Hayden, Haley 3 ; Sanders, DJ 1 ; Zeringue, Kassidy 1 ; Martinez, Kelli 1
SB: Martinez, Kelli 1
Batting:
RBI: Ortiz, Ariel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McDowell, Christiana 1
SB: Liscano, Corrina 1
HBP: Liscano, Corrina 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
4
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball3B
/ Softball1B/OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
SS
/ Softball
P
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