Craighton and Stewart Key Series-Sweeping Win at ULM
MONROE – Aleah Craighton homered twice and Alex Stewart pitched a shutout for a fourth consecutive start as 15th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball closed the regular season with an 8-0 (6 inn.) win over ULM on Sunday at Geo-Surfaces Field.
Louisiana (42-6, 23-1 Sun Belt) completed the series sweep of ULM (29-26, 11-16 Sun Belt) – the fifth straight season sweeping the series. The Ragin’ Cajuns entered the day with the series win in hand, the 37th consecutive SBC series win dating back to March 2013, after claiming a 4-0, 6-5 doubleheader victory on Saturday.
Craighton’s first homer jumpstarted a five-spot in the fourth inning that ended a scoreless pitcher’s duel between Stewart and ULM’s Melanie Coyne. In her next at bat, she led off the fifth inning with a solo home run as the Ragin’ Cajuns continued to add to their lead.
For Craighton, the home run output marked her sixth career multiple home run game and boosted her total in Sun Belt Conference play this season to 12 home runs.
Stewart limited the Warhawks to four hits in the six-inning blanking as she improved to 22-3 overall and finished 15-0 in Sun Belt Conference play. Her career Sun Belt Conference regular season record finishes at 36-1.
Louisiana returns to action and begins postseason play on Thursday at 10 a.m. in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Troy, Ala., against an opponent that will be determined by first round play on Wednesday.
Haley Hayden (2-for-4, 2 runs, double) and Daniella Chavez (2-for-3) joined Craighton in posting a multiple-hit game. Hayden reached 60 base hits for the fourth straight season when she doubled with two outs in the sixth.
Stewart, who pitched a shutout in all four starts over the Cajuns final two Sun Belt series, closed out the regular season holding foes to three earned runs and just 18 hits over the final 37-1/3 innings she pitched in Sun Belt Conference play.
Louisiana threatened in the first inning as Kara Gremillion led off with a double down the left field line and DJ Sanders was hit by a pitch. Coyne was able to retire the next three Cajun hitters, beginning a string of nine straight retired which kept the hosts in the game until Louisiana’s fourth-inning outburst.
Stewart worked around two-out singles by ULM in the first and second, then after an illegal pitch moved a runner into scoring position in the third inning she retired the next two Warhawks hitters on fly outs to center field to keep the game scoreless.
Hayden led off the top of the fourth with an infield single and Craighton followed with her 15th home run of the season giving the Cajuns a 2-0 lead and ending Coyne’s stronghold. Louisiana manufactured three more runs before the Warhawks could escape the frame.
Stewart retired the Warhawks in order in the bottom of the fourth, for her first perfect inning of the game which kept the momentum on the Cajuns side.
Craighton led off the Cajuns half of the fifth with her second home run of the game to left field, her 16th round tripper of the season. Kelli Martinez slapped an RBI single into left field to add another run in the inning and give Louisiana a 7-0 lead.
Hayden’s double, which gave her 60 base hits for the fourth straight season, set up a two-out rally in the sixth that led to the run rule margin. After an intentional walk to Craighton, Hayden scored from second on a Lexie Comeaux single to left field.
Stewart fended off a pair of scoring chances by ULM over the final two innings to preserve the pitching staff’s 14th shutout of the season.
After pinch hitter Brittani Johnson sacrificed runners to second and third with one out in the bottom of the fifth, Stewart was able to retire the next two ULM hitters. In the sixth inning after runners reached on an error and walk during a relief appearance by Summer Ellyson, she re-entered and struck out pinch hitter Brie Wrobel to end the game.
DIAMOND NOTES
- Louisiana extended its series win streak over ULM to 18 games and upped its lead in the all-time series to 105-27.
- Aleah Craighton’s solo homer in the fifth inning was the Ragin' Cajuns 80th homer of the season, marking the fifth straight season (eighth time overall) that the program reaches 80 home runs under Michael Lotief's guidance.
- Haley Hayden’s hits breakdown of reaching 60 hits each season of her career includes: 70 in 2014, 69 in 2015, 70 in 2016 and presently 60 in 2017.
- Haley Hayden increased her career hits total to 269 which leaves her seven hits shy of reaching the Top 5 on the program’s career hits list (5th place is Jana Mower at 276 hits).
- Kara Gremillion’s leadoff double in the first inning extended her streak of consecutive games reaching base to 40 straight. She’s been aboard the base path every game since Feb. 19 vs. Alabama.
- Alex Stewart held the opposition to two earned runs or fewer for the 20th time in 22 starts. She’s yielded just 30 earned runs over 117-1/3 innings pitched.
- The Ragin’ Cajuns pitching staff ended the regular season limiting foes to two runs or fewer in 29 of 48 games.
- Alex Stewart was the lone pitcher in the Sun Belt Conference with 15-plus appearances to finish with an undefeated mark (went 15-0 with 1.39 ERA in SBC play). The senior pitcher held Sun Belt foes to 20 runs (15 earned) and 48 hits over 75-2/3 innings of work in league action.
- Louisiana remained undefeated (37-0) when plating six or more runs.
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JAG SOFTBALL CLINCHES FOUR SEED IN SBC TOURNEY WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF TROY
TROY, Ala. – The University of South Alabama softball team clinched the fourth seed in this year's Sun Belt Conference Championships with a doubleheader sweep of Troy Sunday afternoon at the Troy Softball Complex.
"The two wins for us today were huge from a seeding standpoint," South Alabama head coach Becky Clark said. "I thought we came out and played okay; we can play better than we did today. I would like to see us pick it up a bit and play better team softball heading into the tournament than what we played today.
"We did what we needed to to get the job done. I thought both Devin (Brown) and Destin (Vicknair) pitched very well today and we had some good defensive plays behind them. We need to string together a few more quality at-bats and in the second game, I thought we did a better job of that. I just want to see us being aggressive as we head into the tournament; competing and playing team softball."
South Alabama (33-18, 15-12 SBC) will now begin preparation for the league tournament to be hosted by Troy University May 10-13 at the Troy Softball Complex. USA will face the winner of No. 8 Coastal Carolina/No. 5 Texas-Arlington who will play at 10 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
The full tournament bracket will be released later Sunday evening. For more information, check out the Sun Belt's website here.
GAME ONE: SOUTH ALABAMA 2, TROY 0
In the opener, South scored runs in the third and fourth innings and junior right-hander Devin Brown made them hold up as the Jaguars earned a 2-0 victory over Troy.
Brown went the distance and recorded her 11th shutout of the season as she scattered five hits and struck out 10 – her seventh double-figure strike out game of the season. Brown retired nine-straight Trojan batters at one point during the contest.
Kaleigh Todd was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in one, while also stealing her 19th base of the season. Savanna Mayo was responsible for the other Jaguar run as she registered her fifth home run.
Clair Graves took the lost and dropped to 8-11, allowing two runs on seven hits in her seven innings of work. Katie Webb paced Troy at the plate as she was 3-for-4.
The Jaguars got on the board first and took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third on Todd's RBI single scoring Megan Harris who had tripled to lead off the inning. USA threatened to do more damage loading the bases after hits from Haleigh Lowe and Kristian Foster and a full count walk by Amanda Minahan with one out, but Graves got Katelyn Gruich swinging and Dayla Gulledge to fly out to center to end the frame.
In the fourth, Mayo extended South's lead to 2-0 as the sophomore third baseman led the inning off with a solo shot down the leftfield line on a 2-2 pitch from Graves.
The Trojans would threaten to get on the scoreboard in each of their final two at-bats, but Brown would have the answer and get the needed out.
After allowing the Trojans just one hit through the first five innings, Troy's best scoring opportunity came in the sixth loading the bases on singles by Webb and Madeline Porter and a hit-by-pitch by Kaylee Hussey. The bags would be left full as Brown recorded her 10th strikeout of the contest, getting Grace Mirley swinging to end the frame.
Troy didn't go quietly in the seventh as Carli Kayler lined a one-out double off the top of the wall in left center and later moved to third on Webb's two-out single to right. With runners at the corners, Brown was able to get Stephanie Snyder to ground out to Mayo at third to end the contest and preserve the shutout victory.
GAME TWO: SOUTH ALABAMA 6, TROY 4
Troy scored all four of its runs over the final two innings and brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but South Alabama held on for the 6-4 win to complete the doubleheader sweep with a the Trojans.
Todd recorded her second multi-hit performance of the day and her team-best 23rd of the season as the junior second baseman was 2-for-5 with a run scored and a career-high three RBI. Lowe also recorded multiple hits with two singles in her four at-bats. Four other Jaguars also recorded a hit with Foster and Minahan each driving a run as well.
Destin Vicknair (14-10) went the distance, allowing four runs on nine hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Rachel Brown-Rigney took the loss in her final game as a Trojan, falling to 7-17 on the year. In her 6.2 innings of work, Brown-Rigney allowed six runs – four earned – on eight hits, while walking four and striking out four.
Synder, Porter and Meg Willis each recorded two hits apiece, while Porter had a pair of RBI and Snyder had one. Webb also scored two runs and drove in one as well.
After missing out on a scoring chance in the top of the first, the Jaguars erupted for four runs – two earned – on two hits and to take a 4-0. South Alabama loaded the bases with one away without the benefit of a hit. Mayo reached on a fielder's choice, Smith was hit-by-pitch and Harris on a Trojan fielding error. Todd then put South on the board as she lined a triple over Jordan Gray's head in right that rolled all the way to the wall. Todd raced around the bases and slid into third for her fourth triple of the spring clearing the bases. After a single by Lowe put runners at the corners, Foster lifted a fly ball to center, which was deep enough to score Todd and make it 4-0.
Jaguars added a run and stretched their lead to 5-0 in the fourth as Minahan doubled down the leftfield line to plate Foster, who had reached on an infield single earlier in the inning.
The Trojans finally broke through with a run in the bottom of the sixth – their first run against the Jaguars this season. Webb walked on four-straight pitches to begin the inning and then after being moved up to second on a ground out, came around to score on Porter's RBI double to left on a ball Lowe lost the ball in the sun.
USA would get the run back the next half inning. Abby Krzywiecki and Mayo both walked to start the top half of the seventh and then moved up a base on Smith's sacrifice bunt. South extended its lead to 6-1 one batter later as Haleigh Lane delivered a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to right, scoring MC Nichols, who had entered the game as a pinch runner for Krzywiecki.
The run would prove to be big as the Trojans mounted a comeback in their final at-bat, scoring three runs on five hits and bringing the winning run to the plate. Logan Calhoun dropped in a bloop single that fell just inside the leftfield line. Cassidy McDilla then recorded a pinch-hit infield single. With two outs in the inning, Troy strung together three-straight RBI base hits from Webb, Snyder and Porter. Porter's double to left – her second in as many at-bats – scored Webb, trimming the Jag lead to 6-4. With the winning run at the plate, Vicknair was able to get Erica Davis to pop out to Gruich at first to end the game and seal the two-run win.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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Warhawks Honor Seniors on Sunday
MONROE, La. - The ULM softball team closed out the regular season with an 8-0 loss to the 15th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns at home on Sunday, as the Warhawks honored their six seniors prior to the final Sun Belt Conference game of the year. ULM now prepares for this week's SBC Tournament in Troy, Alabama.
TURNING POINT
-The Cajuns opened up the scoring with a two-run homer in the top of the fourth to get on the board, and added three more runs in the frame to take control of the afternoon.
NOTABLES
-Sydney McKay, Cheyanne Lyon, Samantha Agamaite and Sami Billeaudeau each finished with one hit as ULM combined four hits in the loss. Agamaite and Jayden Mount both reached base on walks for the Warhawks other two baserunners.
-Melanie Coyne was saddled with the loss after four innings of work, allowing six runs (three earned) on six hits with a pair of strikeouts. Paige Porter and Jessie Watts combined for the final two innings on the afternoon.
-Before today's game the Warhawks honored their six seniors: Carlie Comeaux, McKinley Marks, Vanessa Garcia, Brittney Johnson, Sydney Coy and Melanie Coyne.
UP NEXT
-The Warhawks begin post season play in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Wednesday as the seven seed. ULM will play against sixth-seeded Georgia Southern.
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Troy Softball Closes Out Season Against South Alabama
TROY, Alabama- On senior day, and in the last games of the regular season, the Trojans fell to the South Alabama Jaguars 2-0 and 6-4 on Sunday at the Troy Softball Complex. Troy fought back to put the final game within two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the rally came up just short.
Game one: South Alabama 2, Troy 0
The Trojans (20-34, 8-19 SBC) struggled against junior pitcher Devin Brown in game one, and weren't able to bring a run across the plate.
Both teams were scoreless until the top of the third when a lead off triple put a runner on third for the Jaguars. A single from Kaleigh Todd advanced the runner home to give South Alabama a 1-0 lead. With the bases loaded, Claire Graves pulled off a big strikeout and a fly ball ended the scoring threat.
South (33-18, 15-12 SBC) added its final run of the game with a solo home run from Savannah Mayo to take the final 2-0 lead.
The Trojans put up five hits, but struggled to convert the runs and left nine runners on base throughout game one.
Freshman Katie Webb had a great day at the plate as she went 3-for-4 with three singles. Madeline Porter went 1-for-2 in game one with a single to left field in the sixth inning.
In the circle, Graves earned the start and threw a complete game with two strikeouts and three walks. She took the loss to move to 8-11 on the season.
Game two: South Alabama 6, Troy 4
The Trojans weren't going to go down without a fight in their final game of the 2017 season. Down 6-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Troy rallied back and scored three runs, but fell short of the win.
The Jaguars jumped out to an early 4-0 lead as Todd stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. A base-clearing triple gave South Alabama the momentum as they were also able to score on a sacrifice fly before the Trojans were able to get out of the inning.
South added two more runs in the fourth and seventh innings as they held the Trojans scoreless until Porter hit an RBI double to put the Trojans on the board.
Freshman Logan Calhoun sparked the three-run final inning for the Trojans with a single down the left field line and Cassidy McDilda entered the game to pinch hit and put two runners on with a single to the pitcher. Back-to-back RBI singles from Webb and Snyder put the Trojans within three with two outs. Porter earned her second RBI double of the game to bring another run across for the Trojans, but a pop up to the first baseman ended the campaign for Troy.
Senior Meg Willis was a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate in her final collegiate game for Troy. Webb went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Calhoun went 1-for-2 scoring one run, while Porter went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Fifth year senior Rachel Rigney Brown earned her final start in the circle as a Trojan. She threw 6.2 innings with one strikeout on the day and only allowed four of the six runs for the Jaguars.
NOTEWORTHY
• Jordan Gray finishes her career with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage through 28 games this season.
• Becca Hartley finishes her career playing in 215 games starting in all but three. Her 16 home runs tie her for third in a single season and her 39 career homers gives her solo possession of the third place in Troy history. Hartley's 134 career runs rank her ninth all-time and her 122 RBIs rank as fourth most all-time in Troy history.
• Rachel Rigney Brown has made 31 appearances in the circle this season and 91 appearances throughout her career. Her five career saves rank her fifth in the Troy record books. She has recorded 318 innings of work in the circle with 126 career strikeouts.
• Meg Willis finishes her Troy career playing in 119 games. She made 28 appearances in the circle and hit 11 home runs with 38 RBIs. She earned her first career start this season against UT-Arlington throwing a shutout.
QUOTABLE
"This team fought hard their last two games and we just fell short," head coach Beth Mullins said. "We threw really well that first game, and we had good at-bats but just couldn't find timely hits. You have to give these kids credit. I think a lot of the fight today was for the four seniors and they really deserved that. I think all four of our seniors have left their legacy here and this place is better now than when they found it, and you can't ask for anything more."
UP NEXT
Troy will host the Sun Belt Conference Tournament May 10-13 at the Troy Softball Complex. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting TroyTrojans.com/Tickets or calling 877-878-WINS (9467).