The so-called softball experts bill it as the series that will determine the Sun Belt Conference championship.

Sitting in the visitor's dugout is second-place Florida Atlantic, which won the Sun Belt's regular-season championship and postseason tournament last season. The Owls won seven Atlantic Sun championships and advanced to nine NCAA Tournaments before joining the Sun Belt last season.

Across the diamond in the home dugout is first-place UL, which won every Sun Belt regular-season title and postseason tournament from 2000-06. The Ragin' Cajuns were picked in the preseason to win the conference title this year.

When the conference foes meet in a three-game series at Lamson Park, UL co-coach Michael Lotief expects a challenge. But he does not think the conference championship will be determined solely by the results from this matchup.

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Joshua Parrott
jparrott@theadvertiser.com