Mid-game tallies lift No. 10 Ragin’ Cajuns to series sweep at Georgia Southern

Timely offense supports another strong outing from Summer Ellyson

STATESBORO, Ga. – The 10th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team took control in the middle innings of the series finale at Georgia Southern and posted a 3-1 win which finished a sweep of the weekend series.

After three scoreless innings, Sarah Hudek reined in the momentum for Louisiana (29-4, 12-0 Sun Belt) when she opened the fourth inning with a solo home run. The next inning it was a pinch-hit, bases-loaded single down the left field line off the bat of Keeli Milligan which increased the lead to 3-0.

That was ample breathing room for Summer Ellyson who in picking up her nation-leading 20th victory of the season retired 15 of 16 Eagles batters from the second through sixth inning.

The Ragin’ Cajuns extended their road winning streak to 10 games and continued the program’s best Sun Belt start since 2017 by claiming a fourth series sweep in as many weekends of league play.

LEADING THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
The pinch hit heroics marked the first of two hits for Milligan (2-for-2, 2 RBI) in the game. Senior Kara Gremillion, starting for the 200th consecutive game, also picked up two hits.

Alissa Dalton turned in a 3-for-4 performance for her fifth multiple-hit game in the past two weeks. She stretched her hitting streak to nine games, the longest for a Ragin’ Cajun this season.

Hudek’s home run was her seventh of the season and one of three extra base hits Louisiana collected adding to doubles from Dalton and Lexie Comeaux.

Ellyson struck out eight batters including the final two that she faced after Georgia Southern (16-18, 3-9 Sun Belt) had slipped across a run on a bases-loaded walk.

NOTEWORTHY
• Louisiana’s pitching staff worked 21 innings in the series and allowed only one earned run.
• Summer Ellyson finished the series with only one run allowed and 18 strikeouts over 14-1/3 innings pitched.
• Over the past two weeks, Alissa Dalton is batting .609 (14-for-23), has accounted for 10 runs and driven in six runs in two-out situations.
• Kara Gremillion finished the weekend in Statesboro with back-to-back multiple games. She wound up with four hits and a .444 average, second-best in both categories in the lineup.
• Keeli Milligan collected her first multiple-RBI game as a Ragin’ Cajun.
• Sarah Hudek’s home run in the fourth inning was the lone one hit by either team in the entire series.
• Summer Ellyson (20-4, 1.31 ERA) reached 20 wins for the second consecutive season. A year ago, she compiled a 23-10 mark and 1.53 ERA.
• Louisiana upped its all-time series lead over Georgia Southern to 15-2 and extended its series win streak at Eagle Field to six games.
UP NEXT
No. 10 Louisiana travels to Lake Charles for a rematch with I-10 neighbor McNeese (17-20) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, then hosts UT Arlington (17-18, 6-6 Sun Belt) in a Sun Belt series Friday-Sunday, April 5-7 at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.

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SEASON TICKETS AVAILABLE
• Season tickets, beginning at $100, are available online at RaginCajuns.com using Account Manager, by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 265-2170 or by visiting the ticket office in person Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and extended hours during Ragin’ Cajuns basketball events.
• Fans who purchase season tickets receive priority access for any potential NCAA postseason games held at Lamson Park.
• For information on premium seating and parking at Lamson Park, contact the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation (RCAF) at (337) 851-2903. General admission parking at Cajun Field will be free for all games during the 2019 season.