UL Softball To Host USSSA Pride In Exhibition

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun softball team will be back on the diamond on Monday evening, when coach Michael Lotief's squad takes on the USSSA Pride of the National ProFastpitch league in an exhibition contest.

First pitch at Lamson Park for the game, which will raise awareness for Breast Cancer, is slated for 6 o'clock.

Tickets, which are $13 for a reserved grandstand seat and $8 general admission outfield seating, will be on sale at the main entrance to Lamson Park, beginning at 5 p.m.

The Cajuns have won three straight Sun Belt Conference championships and 14 overall in the 16 years of league competition since 2001. The program has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 18 consecutive years and 26 times overall in the past 27 years dating back to 1990. Last season, the Ragin’ Cajuns hosted an NCAA Regional at Lamson Park for the fourth time in the past five years (2012, 2014-16) and advanced to an NCAA Super Regional for the fifth straight year (2012-16).

The USSSA Pride has finished regular season play in first place in the NPF standings in five of the last six years, won three NPF tournament titles (2010, 2013, 2014) and played in the championship game the past seven seasons.

The 2016 USSSA Pride roster included names such as Keilani Ricketts (Oklahoma), Lauren Chamberlain (Oklahoma), Sierra Romero (Michigan), Kelly Kretschman (Alabama), and Courtney Ceo (Oregon).

The Cajuns, who went 46-9 last season, return 26 players, including All-Sun Belt Conference selections Hayley Hayden, Aleah Craighton, and DJ Sanders and pitchers Alex Stewart, Kylee Jo Trahan, Macey Smith, and Victoria Brown, who ranked in the top 10 nationally in ERA last season.

Louisiana also welcomes nine newcomers to the roster, including Kansas transfer Daniella Chavez, the 2015 Big 12 co-Freshman of the Year, along with a freshman class of eight that includes four pitchers and Kourtney Gremillion, the younger sister of sophomore third baseman Kara Gremillion.