UL Softball Advances To Finals Of Louisiana Classics
The 13th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns remain unbeaten in the early portion of their 2019 college softball schedule, after capturing two more wins on Saturday, on the second day of the 33rd Annual Louisiana Classics at Lamson Park.
Louisiana won both games in mercy-rule fashion, defeating Stephen F. Austin, 9-1, in 6 innings, in their first game of the day, before downing Austin Peay, 8-0, also in 6 innings, in their second game.
The two wins advances UL into the finals on Sunday at 12:30 pm, when they will face either Stephen F. Austin or Jackson St.
The two triumphs also extends the Cajuns' season-opening win streak to 10 games, their longest since 2015, when they began the year 14-0.
Louisiana has now outscored the opposition, 28-2, in the tournament.
In their first game of the day, against Stephen F. Austin, UL got on the scoreboard first, plating an unearned run in the bottom half of the first inning, when Keeli Milligan reached on an infield single, stole second, and then later scored on a throwing error, to give them a quick 1-0 lead.
UL extended their lead in the bottom half of the second inning, scoring three runs, courtesy of RBI ground outs off the bats of Kourtney Gremillion and Milligan, as well as a run scoring single by Alissa Dalton, to widen their lead to 4-0.
The Cajuns pushed across two more runs in the bottom half of the third inning, when Sarah Hudek drove home a run with a single, before scoring on a throwing error, giving them a comfortable 6-0 advantage.
The game stayed that way until the bottom half of the 6th inning when Louisiana ended things, when Casidy Chaumont doubled home two runs, to give them an 8-0 mercy-rule win.
UL, who outhit Stephen F. Austin, 7-4, was paced at the plate by Milligan and Hudek, who each scored twice, and Chaumont, who drove home two.
Summer Ellyson recorded the victory in the circle for the Cajuns, allowing only two hits over four shutout innings, while improving her season record to a perfect 6-0 in the process.
Kassidy Wilbur (5-1) suffered the loss for STA, allowing 6 runs on 5 hits over 5 innings pitched.
In their second game of the day, a rematch from Friday against Austin Peay, again Louisiana jumped on top early, plating a run in the bottom half of the 1st inning, when Milligan reached on an infield single, stole second, and then later scored on a squeeze bunt off the bat of Kara Gremillion, giving them a quick 1-0 lead.
UL added another run in the bottom half of the 3rd inning, when Kara Gremillion doubled with two outs, before scoring on a Bailey Curry single, to make it 2-0.
The Cajuns widened their advantage in the the inning, scoring twice more, courtesy of a solo home run by Lexie Comeaux, her 4th of the young season, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Milligan, to make it 4-0.
Louisiana put the game out of reach in the 5th, after Alissa Dalton doubled home two runs, before Raina O'Neal singled home another, to give them a commanding 7-0 advantage.
UL ended the game in the 6th, when Milligan, stole second and third, and then scored on a Hudek single, to give them the 8-0 mercy-rule win.
The Cajuns, who outhit Austin Peay at the plate, 11-2, was paced by Kara Gremillion, Curry, Dalton, and O'Neal, who all collected two hits apiece, while Comeaux homered.
Ellyson picked-up the win once again in the circle for Louisiana, twirling 5.2 innings of 2-hit shutout softball,as she improved to a perfect 7-0 on the season.
With the two wins, UL now stands at a perfect 10-0 on the year.
The Cajuns will play for the tournament championship on Sunday at 12:30.
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