UL Softball Defeats Illinois St., 10-4, Has Play Suspended Trailing James Madison In NFCA Leadoff Classic

UL junior pitcher Christina Hamilton

The 22nd-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajun softball team defeated the Illinois St. Redbirds, 10-4, in their first game of the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida on Friday, before having their second game against the James Madison Dukes suspended, trailing 2-0, in the fourth inning, due to rain.

In the first game against Illinois St., Louisiana jumped out to a big lead early, scoring six runs, on three hits, in the top half of the second inning, giving them a 6-0 advantage.

The Cajuns got a two-run single from outfielder Hayley Hayden, while first baseman Kelsey Vincent and shortstop Corin Voinche each drew bases loaded walks, as UL capitalized on five walks and an Illinois St. error.

Louisiana made it 7-0 in the top of the third, as designated played Sara Corbello crushed a solo home run to left-field, her fourth of the year.

After the Redbirds plated their first run of the game, without the benefit of a hit, in the bottom half of the frame, the Cajuns scored another run in the top half of the fourth inning, when outfielder Shellie Landry singled home Hayden, making it 8-1.

In the fifth, UL went up 9-1, when Hayden singled with two outs, driving home a run, before Illinois St. scored two runs in the bottom of the inning, to make the score 9-3, Louisiana, through five innings.

The Cajuns added an insurance run in the sixth, when Vincent drew her second bases loaded walk of the game, to make it 10-3, before the Redbirds cut the lead with a run of their own in the bottom part of the frame, to trim the deficit to 10-4.

That was a close as Illinois St. would get however, as the Cajuns coasted to the 6-run win.

Hayden led the way for Louisiana at the plate, going 4-for-5, with three RBI's, while Corbello homered.

Jordan Wallace (4-1) recorded the win for the Cajuns, tossing 4.1 innings, allowing one hit, three runs, and 11 walks, while striking out out, before giving way to Victoria Brown, who saw her first action of the year.

Taylor Baxter (1-4) suffered the loss for the Redbirds.

With the win, Louisiana improved to 7-3-1, while Illinois St. fell to 3-7.

View the game box score.

In UL's second game, against James Madison, the Dukes scored two runs in the second inning off of Brown, who started for the Cajuns, before relieved by Christina Hamilton.

With James Madison leading, 2-0, the game was suspended in the fourth inning, and will be resumed on Saturday morning at 9 am (cdt).

Following the completion of their game against the Dukes, Louisiana will play twice more on Saturday, against Hofstra (1:30 pm), and USF (4 pm).

You can catch all the play-by-play action on Sports Radio ESPN 1420 & espn1420.com

Day one