LAFAYETTE – With a 6-3, 7-3 doubleheader sweep on Senior Day at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park on Saturday, April 30, the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team completed a series sweep of Coastal Carolina and remained atop the Sun Belt Conference standings.
The day was highlighted by senior Melissa Mayeux homering, tripling and producing five RBI to power the Game 1 triumph and then doubling home the go-ahead run to close out the big four-run third inning in Game 2 that vaulted Louisiana (38-11, 20-4 Sun Belt) into the lead for good.
Louisiana ran its home winning streak to 10 games on the final day of play at Lamson Park in spring 2022. The squad’s final home record was 21-5, marking the program’s first 20-win season at Lamson Park since 2019.
The Ragin’ Cajuns sweep of Coastal Carolina (18-27, 4-17 Sun Belt) helped them keep pace with South Alabama, also winners on Saturday, and assured the squad of holding a first-place lead entering the final weekend of league play from Thursday-Saturday, May 5-7.
Saturday’s results also extended Louisiana’s nation-leading streak of consecutive conference series won 72 straight, continuing a string of success that began back in March 2013.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 1)
The Chanticleers jumped on the board first with a two-out RBI single from Keirstin Roose in the first inning. Louisiana answered quickly, tallying four runs in the bottom half of the inning capped off by a three-run home run from Mayeux.
Meghan Schorman (6.0 IP, 5, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K) retired the side in order the first half inning after being given the lead, the first of five straight scoreless innings she tossed to finish her appearance in the circle. After the first inning, she allowed no more than one base runner in a single inning until the sixth.
Mayeux single-handedly put the Chanticleers away in her second at bat of the game, delivering a clutch two-out triple in the third inning to stretch the lead out to 6-1.
Pitcher Mady Volpe kept Coastal Carolina within striking distance by holding the Ragin’ Cajuns scoreless the rest of the way. Makiya Thomas (double) and Riley Zana (single) brought in runs during a seventh-inning rally, but Kandra Lamb induced a pair of fly outs to secure Louisiana’s win.
HOW IT HAPPENED (GAME 2)
Coastal Carolina produced another fast start, picking up a pair of solo home runs from Thomas and Zana in the first inning, and was leading 3-0 in the bottom of the third with Kaitlin Beasely-Polko carrying a no-hitter.
Louisiana quickly turned the tables on Beasley-Polko in the third inning as the bases were loaded with no outs after Karly Heath drew a walk, Kramer Eschete singled and Kayla Falterman (2-for-3, run, RBI) dropped down a bunt.
In three straight at bats the Ragin’ Cajuns spun the Chanticleers out of control, and out of the lead. Stormy Kotzelnick (2-for-3, 2 RBI) knocked in the first two runs with a single to left field, Sophie Piskos evened the score with a single of her own and Mayeux (2-for-3, 2 doubles, RBI) continued the scoring spree with an RBI double for a 4-3 lead.
The Ragin’ Cajuns plated runs in each of the next three innings getting RBI singles from Falterman and Alexa Langeliers plus a Laney Credeur home run to create breathing room for starting pitcher Sam Landry (7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 7 K).
Landry (16-3, 2.28 ERA, 133 K) bounced back from Coastal’s early uprising by finishing with four consecutive scoreless innings pitched. She faced only one over the minimum each inning during the strong finish, as from the third inning on the visitors did not move a runner past second base.
UP NEXT
Louisiana finishes regular season play and seeks to capture a Sun Belt Conference championship when the squad faces ULM from Thursday-Saturday, May 5-7 at the ULM Softball Complex in Monroe, La.
The Ragin’ Cajuns and Warhawks are scheduled to play at 6:00 p.m. on both Thursday (May 5) and Friday (May 6) and then at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (May 7) to close out the series.
Fans can listen to the entire series on ESPN Lafayette 103.3 FM and 1420 AM in the Acadiana region and worldwide on the ESPN Lafayette app. Live stats can be accessed at CajunStats.com.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB [facebook.com]), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB [twitter.com]) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB [instagram.com]) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.
Fans are encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here [apps.apple.com] for iOS/Apple platforms and here [play.google.com] for Android platforms.
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