THIBODAUX (Press Release) – 10th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball extended its winning streak to five games on Wednesday after capturing an 8-0 win over Nicholls at the Colonel Softball Complex.
Summer Ellyson matched Nicholls’ Megan Landry in the circle the first four innings of a pitcher’s duel, then Kourtney Gremillion ignited a late push with an RBI triple in the fifth inning for the first of eight runs Louisiana (20-3) would score in its final three at bats.
The Ragin’ Cajuns won for the fourth consecutive time in a road outing, moving to 8-3 away from Lamson Park. The shutout was the pitching staff’s eighth of the season and first since March 1 vs. Oregon State.
LEADING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Ellyson turned in double digit strikeouts for the second straight outing, following up her season-high 17 vs. Baylor on Monday with an additional 11 against the Colonels. She did not issue a walk and faced only three over the minimum.
Louisiana received five RBI, and both of its home runs, from the Nos. 2-3 spot in the batting order. Kara Gremillion had a game-high three RBI with her blast which capped off the scoring. Julie Rawls’ two-run shot in the sixth inning upped the lead to 4-0 and knocked Landry out of the contest.
Alissa Dalton joined Kara Gremillion in scoring a team-best two runs. Dalton scored the game’s initial run on Kourtney Gremillion’s triple.
Rawls followed up a three-hit effort vs. Baylor with a 2-for-4 outing for her team-leading eighth multiple-hit game.
Raina O’Neal’s RBI single in the fifth inning extended her current hitting streak to six games.
KEY MOMENTS OF THE GAME
A scoreless battle came to an end with a sequence of three consecutive one-out hits for Louisiana in the fifth inning. Dalton singled, then runs scored off Kourtney Gremillion’s triple and subsequent single by O’Neal.
After being given the lead by her offense, Ellyson struck out the side in the fifth inning.
Rawls delivered the key blow in the next half inning as she launched a two-run home run off of Landry to extend the lead to 4-0 and bring the Colonels’ ace pitcher’s night to a close.
Lexie Comeaux’s pinch-hit, two-out single in the seventh inning led to Louisiana putting the game out of reach. Two batters later Kara Gremilion lifted her three-run home run over the wall in left center.
NOTEWORTHY
Summer Ellyson has piled up 28 strikeouts over 13 innings pitched the last two outings.
Now with 14 victories, Summer Ellyson ranks second nationally in the category.
Kourtney Gremillion posted at least one RBI for the fourth straight game. She has generated seven RBI during the stretch.
Keeli Milligan’s steal in the seventh inning was her 30th in as many tries this season. She’s on pace to challenge the single-season record 51 set by Dorsey Steamer in 1992.
Julie Rawls has raised her average 80 points since March 1. Now hitting a team-best .431 for the season, Rawls is batting .643 (9-for-14) with eight RBI since the start of the month.
UP NEXT
No. 10 Louisiana is back at Lamson Park Friday-Sunday, March 15-17 for the Sun Belt home opening series, and Alumni Reunion Weekend, hosting Troy.
The Ragin’ Cajuns and Trojans kick off the series at 6 p.m. on Friday in an ESPN+ broadcast.
