Softball Preview: Coastal Carolina (Senior Weekend)

Games 43-45: No. 16 Louisiana (36-6, 17-1 Sun Belt) vs. Coastal Carolina (29-19, 7-13 Sun Belt)
Saturday, Apr. 29 (DH) • 2 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.
Sunday, Apr. 30 • 1 p.m. (CDT) • Lamson Park (2,790) • Lafayette, La.

SATURDAY PROMOTIONS/EVENTS
- Fan Appreciation and Season Ticket Redemption Day
(Handheld fans will be available for the first 500 fans who enter Lamson Park and season ticket holders can redeem any unused tickets for discounted general admission tickets at $4 apiece)
- Senior Day Ceremony (prior to introductions/national anthem)
(Each senior will be honored on the field and presented with various memorabilia. Those graduating in May will be presented with their Sun Belt Conference medallion)

Game Notes (PDF): Louisiana
Radio: ESPN 1420-AM • Talent: Steve Peloquin, PxP
TV: None
Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
Live Video (FREE): Ragin' Cajuns All-Access
Rosters: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Schedules: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Season Stats: Louisiana | Coastal Carolina
Ragin' Cajuns Twitter: @ULRaginCajuns | @RaginCajunsSB
Opponent's Twitter: @CoastalSoftball

THE COACHES
Louisiana: Michael Lotief (Louisiana, 1985)
Career Record: 720-174-1 (15th season) Record at Louisiana: Same

Coastal Carolina: Kelley Green (Georgia, 1987)
Career Record: 619-320 (18th season) Record at Coastal Carolina: 273-186 (8th season)

5 THINGS TO KNOW
1 – The 2017 senior members of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball squad will be honored during a pregame ceremony prior to the start of Saturday's 2 p.m. doubleheader.

2 – The Ragin' Cajuns take the field at Lamson Park for the final time in the 2017 regular season. This week's climb to No. 19 in the RPI rankings provides the possibility of NCAA postseason play returning to Lamson Park.

3 – Louisiana's magic number to capture the Sun Belt Conference's regular season championship is two (2). Two wins, or any other combination of two involving Texas State (14-6 SBC, currently 2nd place), wraps up the title and No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament (May 10-13 in Troy, Ala.).

4 – Senior Haley Hayden enters the weekend five runs shy of breaking Nerissa Myers' program record for runs scored (243).

5 – Louisiana and Coastal Carolina are meeting on the softball diamond for the first time. The Chanticleers are in their first season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

FOR STARTERS
16th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball completes the home portion of the 2017 schedule Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30 at Lamson Park hosting Coastal Carolina in a three-game Sun Belt series. The teams will play a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday and a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU
The Ragin' Cajuns and Chanticleers meet on the softball diamond for the first time in program history. Coastal Carolina is in its first season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

SENIOR WEEKEND
The Coastal Carolina series marks the last home games for the seniors on the 2017 Ragin' Cajuns roster. The group includes: Sarah Arceneaux, Victoria Brown, Haley Hayden, Kendall Smith, Macey Smith, Alex Stewart, Taylor Terrio, Corin Voinchè and Kassidy Zeringue.

SENIOR RECOGNITION
The graduating members of the 2017 senior class will be recognized and each senior will be honored for their careers as a Ragin' Cajun prior to the introduction of lineups and national anthem of Saturday's doubleheader.

COACH LOTIEF ON SENIOR CLASS
"This is a great group of kids who have formed the core of what we've been trying to accomplish here. Some have had success and been in the spotlight, others have been role players. Despite that they've been great teammates, have worked every day, and have held up to the standard of what we expect in the classroom and on the field. And, they've done the things necessary to help us continue to grow. All of these kids are going to leave here better and have made us better since they arrived here."

ONE LAST HURRAH?
The schedule dictates that this may be the last time the 2017 seniors take the field at Lamson Park. However, the Ragin' Cajuns recent jump to No. 19 in the NCAA RPI rankings leaves the possibility of NCAA postseason play returning to Lamson Park.

STRETCH RUN
Two weeks are all that remains in the regular season, then it's on to postseason play. Following the Coastal Carolina series the Ragin' Cajuns wrap up the regular season in Monroe (May 6-7) before traveling to Troy, Ala., for the Sun Belt Tournament (May 10-13). NCAA postseason play gets underway with the regional round May 19-21 on campus sites.

EXPLOSIVE WEEK
From a production standpoint, last week may have been the highlight of the season. It started with an 11-run outburst on the road at No. 4 Texas A&M and was followed by a combined 40 runs over the three-game Sun Belt series with Georgia State. Louisiana hit .400 (42-of-105), produced 51 runs, generated 17 extra base hits (10 home runs) and slugged .762 as a team over the four-game span.

HEY, IT'S HALEY
Much attention has been focused on DJ Sanders and her nation-leading home run exploits. Having an equally as strong month of April is Haley Hayden. Since April 1, she is batting .488 (21-for-43) with three doubles, seven home runs and 27 RBI.

MS. CONSISTENCY
Haley Hayden has produced at least 40 runs, hits and RBI all four years of her career. That's led her to reach the 200-mark in career runs (239), hits (263) and RBI (209).

HAYDEN EYES RECORD
Haley Hayden continues her march toward catching Nerissa Myers' school record of 243 runs scored (2010-13). Easter weekend at Texas State she passed Jerie Alexander (1999-2002, 230 runs) for second place leaving only Myers' mark left to bypass.

Hayden enters the Coastal Carolina series with 239 career runs. That leaves her four (4) shy of equaling Myers' total. Chances are the senior from West Monroe can grab hold of the record prior to the start of postseason play as six regular season games remain.

SANDERS SLUGGING AWAY
In addition to leading in home runs (27), DJ Sanders is currently the nation's leader in runs per game (1.45), RBI (70), RBI per game (1.67), total bases (140) and slugging percentage (1.157).

THE WHOLE STORY
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."

LINEUP SHIFT
The choice to work around DJ Sanders became an even more riskier gamble when she was elevated to the No. 2 spot in order (up from cleanup) at Texas State. Now she's backed up by the team's hottest hitter of late, Haley Hayden (hitting .488 with 7 HR and 27 RBI), and Aleah Craighton who owns 76 career extra base hits.

NO WHERE TO HIDE
With opponents working around DJ Sanders last week, issuing nine walks, Haley Hayden (12) and Aleah Craighton (8) combined for 20 RBI hitting behind her in the No. 3 and No. 4 spot.

COMEAUX'S CAUGHT ON
Lexie Comeaux was moved to catcher one month before the season began after an injury to Miranda Grotenhuis. All it took was two weekends for her to get comfortable and she's held steady since. She's hitting .355 with 8 homers and 35 RBI and has controlled the opponents running game throwing out six runners attempting to steal in 17 attempts.

SENIOR STEPPING UP
Corin Voinchè was called upon during the middle of the season, at the onset of Sun Belt play, to help solidify the middle of the order. Used as a pinch hitter at the start of the season, the veteran left-handed hitter has used her excellent hand-eye coordination to toughen the No. 7 spot in the lineup. In 15 starts since, she's hit .318, drawn eight walks and struck out only four times in 53 plate appearances.

SANDERS UP FOR TOP HONOR
Junior shortstop DJ Sanders is one of the finalists named for the 2017 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award. The list will be narrowed to the Top 10 Finalists on May 10, the Top 3 Finalists named on May 24 and the winner announced on May 30 prior to the start of the WCWS.

DENHAM GARNERS ATTENTION
Pitcher Alyssa Denham has been named one of the finalists for the Schutt Sports/NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year award. The Pearland (Texas) High product is part of a group of 25 select athletes in consideration for the award. The trophy will be presented on May 31 at the WCWS.

THE DAWN OF DENHAM
Freshman pitcher Alyssa Denham showed in February that she's going to be a dependable arm for the Ragin' Cajuns in the circle. Denham worked 38 innings in the circle over the season's first month, limiting foes to 10 runs (seven earned), 21 hits and a .159 average. The highlight was a complete game, two-hit shutout of No. 4 Alabama that secured the series win for the Ragin' Cajuns and earned her USA Softball National Player of the Week honors.

SISTER ACT
Alyssa Denham (Alvin, Texas/Pearland HS) is the fourth daughter of Steven and Kathy Denham to play collegiate softball. All three of her elder sisters played softball at McNeese and were All-Southland Conference selections: Stephenie (shortstop, 2001-03), Jessica (pitcher, 2003-06) and Tiffany (pitcher, 2009-12).

MS. VERSATILITY
Haley Hayden's move to first base at the start of the season, and most recently right field, marks the third and fourth positions she's played in a Ragin' Cajuns uniform. The senior from West Monroe patrolled center field as a freshman in 2014 and covered second base the past two seasons.

A PROVEN MEASURE
Lexie Comeaux – who was slotted for first or second base – filling the spot at catcher is a similar situation to former Ragin' Cajuns catchers Joy Webre who was a shortstop and Lana Bowers who was an outfielder before being converted to the position. Webre and Bowers turned out to be four-year starters for Louisiana. Comeaux's arrival at the position was spurned by a season-ending knee injury suffered by Miranda Grotenhuis who had worked her way into the spot during the fall season.

FITTED FOR THE ROLE
Kara Gremillion, last year's nine-hole hitter, has moved to the leadoff spot in the batting order for the 2017 season. Given last season's performance at the plate, it seems like a natural fit. As a freshman in 2016, Gremillion displayed poise at the plate, with 30 walks against 11 strikeouts in 173 plate appearances (.480 on base percentage).

THE DYNAMIC DUO
A year ago, the rise of Aleah Craighton and DJ Sanders as prolific hitters was on display as they both hit 18 home runs. Now it's their turn to be the force in the heart of the lineup. Craighton has tallied 20-plus extra base hits the first two years of her career. Of her 109 career base hits, over 50 percent (58) have produced extra bases. Sanders saw a significant increase in power (from four home runs as a freshman to 18) and run production (from 27 RBI as a freshman to 58) during the 2016 season.

LOUISIANA-COASTAL CAROLINA SERIES
Series Record: First Meeting
In Lafayette: First Meeting
In Conway, S.C.: 0-0
Neutral Site: 0-0
Current Streak: none
Last Meeting: n/a

All-Time Series Meetings
None

Series Notes
The Ragin' Cajuns and Chanticleers meet on the softball diamond for the first time in program history...It's also the first meeting as Sun Belt Conference foes...The Chanticleers are in their inaugural campaign in the Sun Belt Conference, previously competing in the Big South Conference (1987-2016).

BY THE NUMBERS
4 – Of the Ragin' Cajuns' six losses, a total of four have come by one run

5 – Haley Hayden is five runs shy of breaking Nerissa Myers' school record of 243 career runs scored

6 – DJ Sanders has hit six grand slams in 2017, tying the NCAA record for a season (last reached by former Cajun Christi Orgeron)

9 – The Ragin' Cajuns offense has produced double digit runs nine of the last 14 games (since April 1)

20 – The Ragin' Cajuns have scored in the first inning 20 times and hold a 71-11 runs scored edge in the frame

31-1 – Alex Stewart's career Sun Belt record. The reigning Pitcher of the Year was 16-1 in league play in 2016

32-0 – Louisiana's record when scoring six runs or more

34 – Leadoff hitter Kara Gremillion has reached base 34 straight games. She's struck out only 9 times in 170 plate appearances

78 – Combined hits by the Cajuns table setters Kassidy Zeringue (No. 8 hitter) and Kelli Martinez (No. 9 hitter)

225 – Cajuns hitters have turned patience and strong plate discipline into 225 walks, a tally which ranks second nationally trailing only Auburn's 226.

DIAMOND NOTES
#SunBeltSeriesStreak: Louisiana has won 35 consecutive Sun Belt Conference series (school and SBC record streak). The streak began in March 2013 with a three-game sweep of FIU.

#LockedIn: Of the last 11 hits that DJ Sanders has posted, 10 have been home runs. The streak began with her final at bat in Game 2 vs. Troy on April 8.

#SelectCompany: DJ Sanders is staring down 30 home runs – a mark that only former three-time All-Americans Lexie Elkins (32 in 2015) and Danyele Gomez (30 in 2006) have reached in program history.

#StandingHerGround: Senior pitcher Alex Stewart has held opponents to two earned runs or less in 16 of 18 starts. She's yielded just 32 hits over 48-2/3 innings in Sun Belt play.

#DifferentEnding: Senior Kassidy Zeringue arrived at Louisiana on a soccer scholarship. She closes out her career as a collegiate athlete on the softball diamond. She's enjoying the best year of her career, having produced highs in runs (31), hits (39) and RBI (9).

#BigInnings: The Ragin' Cajuns sweep of Georgia State was highlighted by a 13-run and seven-run first inning. Over the last three weeks, the Ragin' Cajuns have generated 17 different innings of three-plus runs.

#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 four 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.

#HummingAlong: With 54 hits to her credit, senior Haley Hayden is on pace for a fourth season of 60-plus hits. Hayden is nearing the program's all-time Top 5 career hits list. With 263 career hits she stands 13 shy of fifth place (Jana Mower, 276).

#AmongTheBest: Louisiana has an active streak of 66 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).

#EveryoneLovesLamson: Due in large part to the softball savvy fan base and the "joie de vivre" (exuberant enjoyment of life) of the Cajun culture, Lamson Park leaves a lasting impression on visitors. That was affirmed in a preseason poll conducted by FloSoftball.com which ranked the facility No. 1 in college softball.

#GeauxCajuns

Softball Preview: Coastal Carolina (Senior Weekend)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Arceneaux

Victoria Brown

Lexie Comeaux

Aleah Craighton

Alyssa Denham

Lexie Elkins

Kara Gremillion

Miranda Grotenhuis

Haley Hayden

Kelli Martinez

DJ Sanders

Kendall Smith

Macey Smith

Alex Stewart

Taylor Terrio

Kassidy Zeringue

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University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Softball Preview: Coastal Carolina (Senior Weekend)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Sarah Arceneaux

Victoria Brown

Lexie Comeaux

Aleah Craighton

Alyssa Denham

Lexie Elkins

Kara Gremillion

Miranda Grotenhuis

Haley Hayden

Kelli Martinez

DJ Sanders

Kendall Smith

Macey Smith

Alex Stewart

Taylor Terrio

Kassidy Zeringue

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