UL softball seeking to bounce again with the assistance of two star freshmen

[ad_1] One other week of Solar Belt Convention play is within the books for Louisiana softball and they're no nearer to the highest of the convention.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (20-22, 6-9) hosted James Madison final week for a three-game sequence and within the comforts of Lamson Park, they couldn’t churn out wins.

“It was good being at house in entrance of the Ragin’ Cajuns followers, clearly not the result we needed out of the primary two video games,” UL coach Alyson Habetz stated. “We continued to battle and ended up getting win within the final recreation. had some actually good performances from Mallory Wheeler and on Sunday, we discovered a strategy to rating extra runs.”

Shedding the primary two video games put the Cajuns again in opposition to the wall on Sunday. However they shined below the stress, avoiding a sweep by the Dukes by capitalizing on errors and when runners have been in scoring place. UL was in a position to come away with a dominating 9-2 victory, however for Habetz and her crew, going 1-2 in a sequence is just not the place they need to be.

The necessity for clutch at-bats On Sunday, the Cajuns appeared like they have been in a position to put all of the items collectively as they completed the sport with 12 hits and a weekend excessive, 9 runs. That efficiency was one thing they desperately wanted within the first two video games in opposition to JMU.

“It is all the time onerous to hit, I imply its faculty softball it’s all the time onerous, however my confidence by no means wavers,” UL freshman infielder and prime slugger Emily Smith stated. “I all the time go as much as the plate with the identical mindset each time, and I imagine in myself each time. If I strike out, if I hit a house run, like, I'm going as much as the plate considering the identical factor that I did earlier than and I've actually needed to be taught simply to let the previous be prior to now.”

In Friday’s assembly, the Cajuns' lineup solely got here up with 4 hits and left six runners on base all through the sport. Issues improved on Saturday, with them racking up 11 hits however on the flip aspect, they left 10 runners on base and went on to lose that recreation 8-7 to lose the sequence.

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A key difficulty the Cajuns lineup has been having is the shortage of clutch at-bats after they really want them. Over the weekend, they loaded up the bases a few occasions and didn’t all the time money in. On the intense aspect, junior Cecilia Vasquez is getting her groove again within the field, ending the weekend with 4 runs and 5 hits after going by means of a little bit of a hunch.

Seniors Kayla Falterman, Sam Roe and Smith have continued to be probably the most constant offensive contributors for the Cajuns however they may want extra to begin profitable sequence.

Working with what you bought On the mound, the Cajuns turned to freshman pitcher Mallory Wheeler for many of the weekend sequence with the Dukes. The 6-foot-1 freshman made the beginning on Friday and Sunday.

In Friday’s pitchers' duel with JMU’s Payton Checklist, Wheeler racked up six strikeouts and solely walked three batters. Her premature stroll within the sixth inning gave the Dukes what they wanted to get the lone run throughout to win the sport.

Wheeler was in a position to bounce again within the finale of the sequence, pitching all seven innings, placing out two batters, and solely permitting two runs to get by.

“I feel I undoubtedly acquired my swag again at Louisiana Tech,” Wheeler stated. “That was the primary recreation the place I had lastly gotten the beginning once more, and simply actually, like, had confidence in myself and trusted that, like that was going to be the sport. We misplaced in a heartbreaker. However, , we performed very well that recreation and I feel after that my crew's all the time been there for me.”

Wheeler and the Cajuns will look to place the items along with South Alabama coming to city this week, kicking off the sequence at 4 p.m. Thursday.

Shannon Belt covers highschool sports activities and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Every day Advertiser as a part of the USA TODAY Community. Observe her highschool and Cajuns protection on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Acquired questions relating to HS/UL athletics? Ship them to Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com.