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Cajuns Softball Sweeps South Alabama, Ga. Southern Sunday

Cajuns held Jaguars scoreless over 3-game series
Kandra Lamb vs USA.jpg
Posted at 10:42 PM, Mar 28, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-29 00:28:21-04

Game 3 Versus South Alabama

LAFAYETTE – With a four-run fifth inning No. 16 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball took the fast-track to completing the series sweep of South Alabama and went on to claim a 6-0 win on Sunday at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.

The first four batters reached base in the huge inning that allowed Louisiana (19-6, 5-1) to gain separation from South Alabama (16-11, 6-3 Sun Belt) for the first time in a series that began with back-to-back 1-0 decisions.

Kaitlyn Alderink drew a walk to lead off the fifth inning, then Kendall Talley ripped a double down the right field line as the Ragin’ Cajuns quickly placed a pair of runners into scoring position.

A fielder’s choice grounder from Melissa Mayeux – who earlier in the game had a two-run home run wiped out after a runner left early call – put Louisiana on the board. Ciara Bryan later lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly down the right field line for a 2-0 edge and Alissa Dalton immediately followed with the knockout punch by delivering a bases-clearing double that stretched the lead to 4-0.

Jade Gortarez led off the sixth inning with a solo home run into the left field bleachers for the first of two additional runs that put the exclamation point on the late-series surge.

The uprising in the final two bats allowed Louisiana to break free from Jaguars starting pitcher Olivia Lackie who had held them in check most of the series. Five of the six runs the Ragin’ Cajuns scored were charged to Lackie.

Summer Ellyson worked the first 4-2/3 innings and scattered six hits, then Kandra Lamb worked the final 2-1/3 innings to complete the pitching staff’s third shutout of the Jaguars in the weekend series.

Louisiana became the first team to shutout South Alabama in an entire Sun Belt Conference series since April 2017 (Texas State).

Game 1 Versus Georgia Southern

LAFAYETTE – No. 16 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball plated five runs over its first three at bats –continuing the offensive momentum built in the last two trips to the plate in the previously played South Alabama series finale – and coasted to a 9-2 win over Georgia Southern on Sunday in the opening game of a Sun Belt Conference series.

Kendall Talley set the tone early, launching a two-run home run in the Ragin’ Cajuns second at bat of the contest. An inning later, it was Melissa Mayeux’s turn for a two-run home run extending the early edge to 4-0.

A third-inning RBI single from Jade Gortarez opened a five-run lead that was more than enough run support for Kandra Lamb who retired the Eagles in order five times through six innings pitched.

The lone blemish in an otherwise dominant performance from Lamb was a pair of solo home runs in the fourth inning that trimmed the Ragin’ Cajuns lead to 5-2.

Louisiana (20-6, 6-1 Sun Belt) put the game out of reach in the sixth inning, taking advantage of defensive miscues by Georgia Southern (7-12, 0-3 Sun Belt) to push across four more runs.

Lamb struck out nine batters to increase her total for the day to 13 (had four in relief effort vs. South Alabama) and her weekend total to 25 strikeouts over 14-2/3 innings.

Talley added an RBI ground out in the sixth inning and finished with a game-high three RBI. Mayeux collected a home run, after losing one to a runner left early call against South Alabama, and finished 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored and a pair of RBI.

With the win Louisiana extended its winning streak to five games and improved to 4-0 on the current six-game homestand of Sun Belt Conference contests.

DIAMOND NOTES

  • The first-inning home run for Kendall Talley was her first of the season. She becomes the 13th different Ragin’ Cajun to hit a home run this season.
  • Melissa Mayeux picked up her first three-hit game of the 2021 season and fourth multiple-hit game overall.
  • Although her career-best 17-game hitting streak was snapped earlier in the day vs. South Alabama, Ciara Bryan still has an active streak of reaching base in every game this season (26 consecutive games).
  • Ciara Bryan bounced back from her hitting streak coming to a close with a 2-for-4 showing at the plate in the Georgia Southern series opener.
  • The nine strikeouts for Kandra Lamb marked the ninth time she’s totaled at least five strikeouts in a game during the 2021 campaign.
  • Kandra Lamb upped her season strikeouts total to 91, moving her closer to reaching 100 in a single season for the first time in her career.
  • Ragin' Cajuns pitching held the opposition to two runs or less for the 15th time (in 26 games), and remain undefeated when doing so.
  • Through four games on the current six-game homestand, Louisiana’s pitching staff has surrendered just two runs over 28 innings pitched.
  • Dating back to Game 2 at UT Arlington the Ragin’ Cajuns pitching staff has yielded only two earned runs over the last 39-2/3 innings of work.
  • After a pair of 1-0 pitcher’s duels to start the weekend, Louisiana’s offense generated 15 runs scored over the last eight trips to the plate on Sunday.
  • Louisiana improved to 16-2 all-time vs. Georgia Southern which includes a 6-1 mark at Lamson Park (all Sun Belt games).

UP NEXT

No. 16 Louisiana concludes the series with Georgia Southern on Monday (March 29) when the two squads meet at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park for a 4 p.m. (CDT) doubleheader.

Both games are set to be broadcast live nationwide on ESPN+ [espn.com]. Fans can also follow along on SportsRadio ESPN 1420-AM [espn1420.com] and CajunStats.com [statbroadcast.com].

FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNSFollow 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.

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