The Book 2009 LAdy Cajuns Softball

[CajunRagin88]

_ I wouldn't say lost and stumbling in the dark. They're still hitting .296 as a team and averaging 8.5 hits per game. They're just not getting some timely hits, right now, and that's a part of baseball/softball. They're also kicking it around on the infield, and that's part of the game also.

Keep in mind this team is still 17-7 and has half a season remaining. I realize the expectations for this program are insane, but come on now.

Michigan, Northwestern, Arizona and Florida State all have seven losses too. I doubt their fan base is panicking right now.

I hate to borrow a Lotiefism, but softball is a marathon. If it were a sprint, WKU would have been named SBC champs last year when they beat the Cajuns two out of three in March.

Remember, last year's Cajun softball team was 21-11 after the WKU series and went on to win 21 of its last 24 games.

Why does this fan base have to always be so negative about its sports teams? _

Its not panic time. However it is ok to be worried. Last season despite a rough start, you could see they were progressing along the way. This season it seems like they are only getting worse. Again though, its not panic time. The amount of errors they have can probably be fixed by simply taking a deep breath in and calming down. Same thing at the plate, I think their power hitters may be feeling abit more "stressed" without the production of Soto and Tank they had last season and are creating unneeded pressure on themselves. To get to the WCWS this season, their offense is going to need to find some stability from the "big bats". Timely hitting is everything, and I think some of the Cajuns are putting too much pressure on themselves when runners are in scoring position. Their .296 average is inflated because their slappers have been getting things done. The slappers have been consistent and been hitting very well, but are often times getting stranded on base.

I am confident they will figure things out; they are a very talented group of women with some great coaches, but it does worry me seeing them struggle this much this late in the season. Given the amount of starters they were returning I figured things would be alot smoother for them right now. But any truely elite team has to go through some rough times to become polished.

[CajunCharlie]

_ I wouldn't say lost and stumbling in the dark. They're still hitting .296 as a team and averaging 8.5 hits per game. They're just not getting some timely hits, right now, and that's a part of baseball/softball. They're also kicking it around on the infield, and that's part of the game also.

Keep in mind this team is still 17-7 and has half a season remaining. I realize the expectations for this program are insane, but come on now.

Michigan, Northwestern, Arizona and Florida State all have seven losses too. I doubt their fan base is panicking right now.

I hate to borrow a Lotiefism, but softball is a marathon. If it were a sprint, WKU would have been named SBC champs last year when they beat the Cajuns two out of three in March.

Remember, last year's Cajun softball team was 21-11 after the WKU series and went on to win 21 of its last 24 games.

Why does this fan base have to always be so negative about its sports teams? _

Finally, someone who makes sense!! If you get the answer to your last sentence/question, please, let me know.

[NewsCopy]

  Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns softball team heads east to Lake Charles to take on in-state rival McNeese State in a single game at Cowgirl Diamond on Thursday at 5:00 p.m.

The Cajuns enter the weekend ranked No. 21 according to the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll. UL is also receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.

The Lady Cajuns boast a 28-2 (.933) record overall under co-head coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief over the Cowgirls. UL won the first meeting of the season 11-0 at the Louisiana Classics Tournament in Lafayette. The Cajuns have currently won three straight against McNeese State, outscoring the Cowgirls 30-0.

The last time the two teams met in Lake Charles, the Cajuns came away with a 12-0 victory. Transfer Brooke Brodhead, who played her first three seasons at McNeese State, made her return to Lake Charles memorable as she recorded her first home run of the season. Her homer was a line-drive shot off of the scoreboard in left field – one of three home runs on the night for the Cajuns.

Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team dropped their second Sun Belt Conference game of the season as they fell 1-0 to Western Kentucky in nine innings at Alfred and Helen Lamson Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Cajuns kept WKU off the scoreboard for eight innings but crucial errors down the stretch proved to be the difference in the ballgame.

Offensively, Louisiana out-hit the Toppers, 9-3, but UL stranded nine batters on base including four runners in scoring position. The Cajuns left runners on base in five of the nine innings and two UL players were thrown out trying to steal.

The Ragin’ Cajuns hit the ball extremely well but were hampered by excellent WKU defense. The Cajuns drove the ball to the outfield 16 times on the afternoon with nothing to show for it, as Western Kentucky recorded 16 fly-ball outs, including a diving catch and several grabs at the wall.

Scouting the Opposition

Rachel King’s seventh inning game winning RBI single scored Whitney Corbello for a 6-5 McNeese State Southland Conference victory over Sam Houston State on Sunday. The victory completed a series sweep for the Cowgirls who defeated the Bearkats 2-0 and 3-0 Saturday. McNeese improved to 17-18 overall and 11-4 in league play.

UL Press

[NewsCopy]

 UL - A lot of athletes struggle with owning up to their imperfections.

Codi Runyan, the senior shortstop for UL's softball team, isn't one of them.

"I'm just down a little bit, but it's going to pick up," Runyan said after Wednesday's practice at Lamson Park. "I've got my team backing me, everybody is backing me, everybody has been there from the jump. It's just a matter of getting focused and getting it done, executing."

Runyan's return from a season off due to a back injury has been filled with peaks and valleys. This past weekend was a valley, as Runyan committed four errors in the No. 21 Cajuns' two 1-0 losses to Western Kentucky.

The rest of the story

Brady Aymond • baymond@theadvertiser.com • March 26, 2009