No. 23 Louisiana and No. 22 Baylor’s top 25 matchup started as a defensive struggle. Through the first four innings, no runs were scored with just three hits happening between both squads.
That is until the bottom of the fifth inning when junior Maddie Hayden plated in an RBI double. That led to four more runs being scored in the frame including Alexa Langeliers two-run homer.
"I went up to bat, and I was very confident," Hayden said. "I knew if I got something deep enough then Kayla Falterman was going to be aggressive and score. The whole park felt the momentum in that inning. I said if we were going to do it, that was the time to do it."
"It's important to our team and success level," Langeliers said. "I think we learned in Starksville (Mississippi) how to produce runs once we get people on base. That showed tonight."
The timely bats were huge, but the spotlight shined on sophomore pitcher Chloe Riassetto as well. The lefty tossed a complete game while pitching a shutout through six innings.
"It was amazing," Riassetto said. "It felt amazing and it was nice knowing my defense had my back. It's super nice knowing they're behind me and knowing that I can trust them on every single play."
"She's just a pressure pitcher," head coach Gerry Glasco said. "It was the perfect opportunity to put her out there under pressure. I told my wife that Chloe was going to shock the world and suprise people with how poised she is. She lived up to every expectation I had."
The Cajuns will close the series with a doubleheader on Sunday, Feb. 18 after it was announced that Saturday's game was postponed due to forecasted cold temperatures.
UL and Baylor will begin the doubleheader on Sunday at 12:00 p.m., with Game 2 to begin approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers