Cajuns put away Trojans early in softball series clincher

TROY, Ala. – An early power surge placed the No. 25-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team firmly in control and Sam Landry’s efficient effort in the circle tightened the grasp in 6-1 win over Troy on Sunday, April 23 in the rubber game of a Sun Belt Conference series at the Troy Softball Complex in Troy, Alabama.

The win clinched the series victory for Louisiana (36-13, 16-2 SBC) extending the program’s decade-old, nation-leading total of consecutive conference series won to 79 straight (since March 2013). It also preserved the Cajuns’ two-game lead over Marshall in the Sun Belt standings heading into the final two weeks of play.

After three hard-luck line drives were snagged by the Trojans defense in the first inning, the Ragin’ Cajuns continued to attack in the second inning starting off with back-to-back base hits with the latter being Lauren Allred’s first of two home runs of the day for a 2-0 lead.

Landry held Troy (30-15-1, 11-6-1 SBC) down in the bottom of the second, retiring the side in order, and Alexa Langeliers blew the doors open on the Trojans in the top of the third with a three-run home run to left center that extended the lead to 5-0.

Allred homered again before Troy starting pitcher Libby Baker could escape the third inning and it was a four-run third for the Cajuns that made it 6-0.

Troy switched to reliever Haley Pittman who settled the Ragin’ Cajuns down with four scoreless innings pitched the rest of the way.

Landry, though, kept the Trojans at a far distance from Louisiana as the only runner to reach and move past second base until the sixth inning was Baker who hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to break up the shutout bid.

Allred (3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 RBI) posted the first multiple-home run game of her young collegiate career. She increased her overall team lead in RBI to 37 and became the fifth player in the Sun Belt to reach 20 RBI in conference play this season, her 21 RBI in league play ranking second.

Langeliers (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) picked up her third three-RBI effort of the season and her team-high tying (with Allred and Sophie Piskos) fifth multiple-RBI game in SBC play. She posted her 11th home run, overall, of the season moving within two of matching her freshman season total (13).

The trio of home runs that Allred and Langeliers combined for increased Louisiana’s total in the weekend series to nine and upped the squad’s long ball production in the month of April, alone, to 30.

The complete game outing from Landry in the circle saw her scatter four hits, yield the single run and not yield a walk until the seventh inning. The eight strikeouts she recorded marked her highest output in Sun Belt play and most overall since Opening Day (Feb. 10).

Mihyia Davis reached on a fielder’s choice in the third inning and stole second base for her 40th swipe of the season, becoming just the third player in program history to reach the mark in a single season (joining Keeli Milligan and Dorsey Steamer).

Jourdyn Campbell singled in her second at bat, setting up the three-run home run from Langeliers, giving her a hit in every game of the series, and extending her season-best hitting streak to five games.

Allred had a few long swings in her final at bat in the seventh inning, missing a third home run just foul which would have been the Cajuns’ first three home run game since Lexie Elkins in February 2016 at the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Louisiana improved to 48-7 all-time vs. Troy (includes a 42-7 mark in SBC regular season games) and overcame a 1-0 series deficit for the ninth time (third time in past two seasons) since the SBC series won streak began in March 2013.

UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana returns to the road and closes out the month of April in Conway, South Carolina from Friday-Sunday, April 28-30 with a three-game Sun Belt Conference series against Coastal Carolina at St. John Stadium.

The matchup with the Chanticleers marks the final road games in conference play this spring. Start times are set for 5:00 p.m. (CDT) on Friday, 1:00 p.m. (CDT) on Saturday and 11:00 a.m. (CDT) on Sunday.

All games in the series with Coastal are being televised on ESPN+. Radio coverage is available on 103.3 FM The Goat and the Varsity Network and live stats can be accessed through CajunStats.com.

FOLLOW THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.