The UL softball team found a way to do it again.
In the final series of the regular season where Troy’s powerful lineup scored 10 runs before UL struck for the first time, the No. 17-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns still won yet another Sun Belt series.
The streak ends the 2024 season at 89 consecutive Sun Belt series won in a row, dating back to 2013, after the Cajuns' 4-1 Saturday win at Lamson Park.
“Troy played a great series,” UL coach Gerry Glasco said. “In the first game, they got our attention and got us good. That’s a wake-up call for us. It tells us what we need to work on this week.
“I’m proud of our girls’ effort. They really fought hard to come back and found a way to keep the series streak going, which is huge to our fans and our program. Takes us into a pretty good place going into the conference tournament.”
The Cajuns are now 40-16 overall and 22-2 in league play, while Troy slipped to 33-21 and 13-11 in Sun Belt play.
UL will open the Sun Belt tournament at 10 a.m. Thursday against the winner of the No. 8-9 game in San Marcos, Texas.
“The first game woke us up,” UL's Laney Credeur said. “We knew we had to come back and fight and do whatever it takes to win this series. Not only do it for us, but for the fans, because they’re our biggest supporters. It was important to come back and take the series.”
The Trojans didn’t waste any time getting on the board first for the third time in the series when Taylor McKinney doubled and scored on Libby Baker’s RBI single off UL starter Denali Loecker in the first inning.
It didn’t take very long for UL to respond. Mihyia Davis walked and Maddie Hayden reached on a fielding error before Credeur smashed a two-run single to right-center off Troy ace Libby Baker for a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the first.
“Fortunately, she gave me a good pitch to hit,” Credeur said. “Maddie and Mihyia did a great job of getting on base in the first inning.”
After attempting to keep the UL lineup at bay by using multiple pitchers in the first two games, Baker pitched all six innings in the finale for Troy. She posted two zeroes after the first inning, then got the first two batters out in the fourth before Cecilia Vasquez doubled and scored on Kayla Falterman’s RBI single.
“It’s been really fun,” said Falterman, who is now hitting .476 over her last 21 at-bats. “It’s really awesome. We always talk about taking advantage of your opportunities when you get them — whether that be running the bases, pinch running, cheering in the dugout or getting a hit, doesn’t matter. I’m going to do what it takes that day to win for my team.”
“I felt like a lot of times things just weren’t falling my way. I just stayed the course. Whenever an opportunity came up, I just stayed focused.”
Davis followed with a run-scoring infield single for a 4-1 lead.
Loecker lasted 1⅓ innings on senior day after throwing 2⅔ effective innings Friday night. She gave way to Sam Landry on Saturday.
Landry tossed 4⅔ shutout innings, allowing three hits, one walk and striking out two to run her record to 22-8. Chloe Riassetto then pitched the seventh inning unscathed for her seventh save of the season.
“My (pitching) game plan going in was three, three and one,” Glasco said. “Then we got down a little bit and didn’t get the three. I wanted to close with Chloe to get her over last night. I didn’t want her thinking about last night tomorrow and the next day.
“I wanted her to get her feet wet again and just show her I’ve got confidence in her. It’s one bad outing, but she’s had so many great outings this year. It was all about getting her on the field.”