19th-Ranked Cajuns Surge to the Finish Line Against Nicholls
LAFAYETTE – The No. 19-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team pulled away from a scoreless tie in the late frames to record a 9-0 (6 inn.) win over Nicholls on Wednesday, April 17 at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
After Lexie Delbrey held the Colonels in check with 4-1/3 innings of two-hit softball to match the scoreless frames tossed by Nicholls’ Molly Yoo, the offense found the breakthrough the Ragin’ Cajuns (30-15) had been looking for in the bottom of the fifth.
Cecilia Vasquez’s double set the stage for a foul-out sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Denali Loecker that scored Victoria Valdez (hit by pitch), and the stalemate with the Colonels (23-20) was no more.
Maddie Hayden’s RBI triple made it a multi-run fifth for Louisiana and a 2-0 lead, then a leadoff double from Alexa Langeliers in the bottom of the sixth ignited the fast and furious finish.
Langeliers began the seven-run, seven-hit sixth inning that was capped off by a two-run single from Hayden and walk-off three-run home run from Credeur which provided the five-run surge over the final two at bats to enforce the run rule.
Delbrey (4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R) was spot on in setting the pace for UL as she retired the Colonels in order the first time through the lineup. She induced back-to-back fly outs, the first to shallow left field, after Nicholls placed a runner on third with one out in the fourth inning.
Sam Landry backed up Delbrey’s efforts with 1-2/3 scoreless innings of relief highlighted by coaxing a double play ball in the fifth inning which kept the Colonels from capitalizing on a one-out double.
Hayden (2-for-4, triple, 3 RBI) and Credeur (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) combined for six RBI – the bulk of the production occurring in the game-ending sequence.
Similar to the previous matchup in Thibodaux back on February 27 when UL pushed across eight runs with two outs, the Ragin’ Cajuns did more of the same on Wednesday. Of the nine runs plated there were seven crossing home plate with two outs.
Louisiana completed a sweep of the midweek home-and-home with Nicholls and extended their series win streak to 12 games. The Ragin’ Cajuns won for the 37th time in the past 40 meetings dating back to 2000 and upped its all-time series lead over the Colonels to 92-24.
Kicking off a five-game homestand at Lamson Park, UL claimed its ninth consecutive home victory.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
No. 19 Louisiana remains at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park to host a three-game Sun Belt Conference series with Southern Miss (20-20, 8-7 SBC).
The Cajuns-Golden Eagles series is scheduled to run from Friday-Sunday, April 19-21 with game one set for 6:00 p.m. on Friday. It’s the first SBC matchup with USM at Lamson Park.
Fans may purchase tickets at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685). Group tickets are also available by contacting the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office by email at tickets@louisiana.edu.
The Ragin’ Cajuns are celebrating Louisiana Salutes throughout the USM series. Military members can purchase a discounted ticked to each game when they show their military ID at the gate.
FOLLOW THE RAGIN’ CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin’ Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.
Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin’ Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com.
