UL Softball Sweeps DH From ULM
The 21st-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns concluded their 2018 regular season schedule in style on Saturday afternoon.
Louisiana swept a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader from the ULM Warhawks at Lamson Park, winning the first game, 5-3, before capturing the second game, 1-0.
The twinbill sweep, coupled with Louisiana's 1-0, 14-inning win over ULM on Friday night, gave the Cajuns a three-game sweep in the series, which represented the final games on the regular season schedule for both teams.
The triumph in the opening game extended UL's Sun Belt Conference win streak to 46-straight, dating back to March of 2013.
The win in the second game improved Louisiana's home record to 25-5 on the season.
In the opener, Louisiana got on the scoreboard first, scoring four runs on five hits, including a run-scoring fielders choice grounder by Kara Gremillion, an RBI single by Alissa Dalton, an RBI double off the bat of Carrie Boswell, and a run-scoring single by Lexie Comeaux, to give them a 4-0 lead.
ULM drew closer in the top half of the 4th inning, scoring two runs, one of which was unearned, courtesy of a single off the bat of Cheyanne Lyon, to trim the deficit to 4-2.
The Cajuns extended their lead in the bottom half of the 4th inning, scoring an unearned run, after Kelli Martinez singled, before scoring on a throwing error, to give them a 5-2 advantage.
The Warhawks edged closer in the top half of the 6th inning, when Lyon brought home a run with a two-out single, to make it 5-3.
It wasn't enough however, as Louisiana went on to the 5-3 win.
Louisiana, who outhit ULM, 7-5, was paced at the plate by Comeaux and Martinez, who each collected two hits, while Martinez scored twice.
Casey Dixon (9-3) recorded the win in the circle for the Cajuns, tossing 4 innings, while allowing two runs, including one unearned, on two hits.
Boswell pitched the final three innings, allowing only one run, to pick up her first collegiate save.
Jesse Watts (5-7) suffered the loss for the Warhawks, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits over 2.2 innings of work.
View the game one box score here.
In the second game, Louisiana once again grabbed an early lead, plating a run in the bottom half of the third inning, when Brittany Rodriguez doubled with two outs, before crossing the plate on a run-scoring single off the bat of Casidy Chaumont, to give them a 1-0 lead.
That turned out to be all UL would need, as they went on to the 1-0 shutout win, completing their third conference series sweep of the season.
Louisiana, who outhit ULM, 7-5, was paced at the plate by Dalton and Rodriguez, who collected two hits apiece, while Chaumont drove home the game's only run.
Summer Ellyson (19-7) recorded the win in the circle for the Cajuns, tossing 5 shutout innings of relief, giving her 19 scoreless innings on the weekend, while giving her her second win in the series.
Paige Murray (13-14) suffered the loss for the Warhawks, allowing only one run on seven hits over 3.0 innings of work.
View the game two box score here.
With the two wins Louisiana improved to 36-13, overall, and 21-6 in Sun Belt Conference play, while ULM fell to 24-28, and 10-17, respectively.
The Cajuns will next be in action in the postseason Sun Belt Conference Tournament, which begins on Wednesday at Lamson Park.
UL, who still can earn the top-seed in the event, will be no worse than the #2-seed, and draws a first-day bye, before returning to the diamond on Thursday.
ULM due to Coastal Carolina losing to Appalachian St., 6-4, on Saturday, will enter the tournament as the #8-seed.