After a week of practice, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team kicks off its fall exhibition schedule this weekend at the Spring Klein College Classic on Saturday and Sunday.
The Cajuns are scheduled to play San Jacinto College and Stephen F. Austin on Saturday before a meeting with Texas A&M on Sunday. All games are scheduled to be played at Collins Park in Spring, Texas.
UL will face San Jacinto at 2:00 p.m. on Field 3 Saturday afternoon before moving to Field 4 to take on Stephen F. Austin at 4:15 p.m. The Cajuns rematch with Texas A&M is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Sunday on Field 1.
A map of Collins Park and the surrounding area can be found at the link above.
"The quality of competition this weekend is very good," co-head coach Michael Lotief said. "It's going to pose challenges for our team and will expose our weaknesses."
The Cajuns enter this fall season after a very successful 2010 campaign. UL appeared in its 12th consecutive NCAA Regional after winning its 10th Sun Belt Tournament title. The Cajuns defeated No.18 Texas A&M twice and No.17 Louisiana State once to advance to the program's second Super Regional.
The Cajuns were knocked out in the Super Regional by eventual National Champion UCLA. UL finished the season ranked 16th in the USA Today/NFCA Top 25 Poll and 17th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 Poll.
"The fall season is the start of another quest and it's always a good measuring stick for our team," said Lotief. "It's important to see where we are but even more important to see where we need to go and what we need to fix"
The Cajuns welcome the return of 2010 All-Sun Belt selections Donna Bourgeois, Gabriele Bridges and Christi Orgeron.
Bourgeois, the winner of the 2009 Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year award, will form quite a one-two punch in the circle with the return of the 2008 winner of the same award, Ashley Brignac. Brignac missed all of 2010 and was limited in 2009 due to injury.
"This is a great chance for our fans to see the 2011 edition of the Ragin' Cajuns," Lotief added.
After the Cajuns complete the Spring Klein College Classic this weekend, they will continue their fall schedule with the Sugar Land College Classic next weekend. UL is scheduled to face St. Edward's and Houston in that tournament.
The Cajuns first home game of the fall is scheduled for Friday, October 15 at 3:00 p.m. against Galveston College at Lamson Park.