UL Softball Set To Host Appalachian St.

The 7th-ranked Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajun softball team returns to the diamond this weekend, playing host to the Appalachian St. Mountaineers in a three-game, weekend, Sun Belt Conference series at Lamson Park..

The two teams are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Saturday at 2 o'clock, followed by a single game on Sunday at noon..

You can hear all the play-by-play action on Sports Radio ESPN 1420 & espn1420 .com beginning with the pre-game show 15 minutes prior to first-pitch, each day.

Louisiana, who is currently 32-6 on the season, and 13-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, is 15-1 at home this season, and has won 12-straight.

Offensively, Louisiana is hitting a .336, along with 78 home runs, 265 runs batted in, and 36 stolen bases in 41 attempts, while out-scoring foes, 288-80.

The Cajuns have four players, in Lexie Elkins (17), Aleah Craighton (14), D.J. Sanders (13), and Shellie Landry (10), who have hit double-digit home runs this season, while Kelsey Vincent has 9.

Elkins is injured, and will miss her fourth-consecutive weekend.

Excluding freshman Brittany Nollkamper, who is filling in for Elkins, every hitter in the Louisiana line-up is hitting a .295, or better, and 5 are hitting over a .300.

Pitching-wise, the Cajuns sport an overall, combined, team ERA. of 1.92, compared to a 8.11 for the opposition, while holding the opposition to a .216 batting average against.

Junior right-hander Alex Stewart is the ace of the UL staff, sporting a sparkling 17-3 record, along with a 1.72 ERA. In 134 innings pitched, Stewart has only walked 20 batters, while striking out 129.

Sophomore right-hander Kylie Jo Trahan, who is 10-3, to go along with a 2.17 ERA., could also see time in the circle this weekend.

UL’s only losses this year came at the hands of Oregon, UT-Arlington, Baylor, and Florida (three times).

Appalachian St. is struggling, at 9-37 overall, and 2-16 in league play.

The Mountaineers are hitting a .259 as a team, along with 41 home runs, 178 runs driven in, and 10 stolen bases in 14 attempts, while being out-scored by opponents, 362-189.

Junior second baseman Cara Parker leads the Appalachian St. offense, hitting a .352 with 10 home runs and 39 runs batted in.

Pitching-wise, the Mountaineers have a current, overall, combined, team ERA. of 7.27, while holding opponents to a .350 batting average against.

Junior right-hander Venessa Ciocatto is 7-17 with a 5.13 ERA., while freshman right-hander Annaleise Kennedy is 2-14 with a 6.87 ERA.

Louisiana a two-game series from Appalachian St. last season in Boone, North Carolina, winning by scores of 21-5 and 23-6.