Softball: Kyla Hall to Enter Louisiana Hall of Fame – it was only a matter of time
Hall pioneer for UL softball
Special to the Advertiser • It was only a matter of time. • December 12, 2010
When you consider how dynamic a college program on the national scene UL Ragin’ Cajun softball has been over the past two decades, logic dictated that eventually one of its members would be recognized by the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
That first choice is Kyla Hall.
Hall, a three-time All-American — twice a first-team selection — was a record-setting pitcher for then-USL and led the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first Women’s College World Series in 1993. Former UL and current LSU coach Yvette Girouard, the winningest coach in state history and already in the National Fast-Pitch Softball Coaches Hall of Fame, called her a "pioneer" in Louisiana softball.
In her four-year career from 1991-94, Hall compiled a 104-20 record (.839) for the best career winning percentage in state history and one of the nation’s top 15 all-time marks. She owns a career 0.50 ERA, including an 0.23 mark in 1992 which ranks in the NCAA’s all-time top 20, when she had a 30-4 record. She topped that with a 31-3 record as a senior in 1994, which also ranks in the NCAA’s top 20 all-time marks.
The Cajuns had a combined 155-24 record in her final three years, and she had a win over top-ranked Arizona in the 1993 WCWS in leading the Cajuns to a third-place national finish. More than half of her career wins (56 of 104) were shutouts, and she holds school records for no-hitters (17) and perfect games (five). She is now the successful head coach at the University of Houston.
As dominant as Hall was as a pitcher, one of the things that made her a cut above some of the other great players in Cajun softball history is that she also hit. Her best season at the plate was as a junior when Hall hit .327 with four homers and 40 RBIs.
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Athletic Network Footnote: Click here to view Kyla’s profile http://athleticnetwork.net/site.php?pageID=52&profID=4032
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| Kyla Hall to Enter Louisiana Hall of Fame |
| Courtesy: RaginCajuns.com |
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Release: 12/11/2010 |
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Former Ragin’ Cajuns softball standout Kyla Hall is among the eight 2011 inductees who will enter the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. She will become the state’s first women’s collegiate softball player enshrined during the Induction Celebration next June 23-25 in Natchitoches.
Other members of the Hall’s 2011 induction class include: New Orleans Saints stars Morten Andersen, Vaughn Johnson and Buford Jordan, along with LSU All-American and 12-year major league baseball infielder Todd Walker, NBA standout Donald "Slick" Watts, High school football coaching great Don Shows and innovative LSU athletic director Thomas P. "Skipper" Heard.
They will be officially enshrined Saturday, June 25, 2011 in Natchitoches to culminate the June 23-25 Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Induction Celebration. Heard, who died in 1980, will be honored posthumously. Tickets for the induction ceremonies and dinner, and golf entries, will go on sale in April through the www.lasportshall.com website, said Hall of Fame chairman Doug Ireland.
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A 30-member Louisiana Sports Writers Association committee selected the 2011 inductees. The panel considered 138 nominees from 22 different sport categories on a 26-page ballot.
The 2011 inductions will be conducted in the shadow of construction of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame museum, operated by the Louisiana State Museum system in a partnership with the Louisiana Sports Writers Association. The steel beam framework of the two-story, 27,500-square foot structure is up facing Cane River Lake in the National Historic Landmark District of Natchitoches. The museum could be ready for its grand opening as early as the June 2012 Hall of Fame Induction Celebration.
The eight new inductees will raise the total of Hall of Fame members to 285 men and women honored since the first induction class – baseball’s Mel Ott, world champion boxer Tony Canzoneri and LSU football great Gaynell Tinsley – were enshrined in 1959 after their election a year earlier.
The 2011 Induction Celebration will kick off Thursday evening, June 23 with the La Capitol press conference and reception. It includes three receptions, a Friday afternoon celebrity pro-am golf scramble at Oak Wing Golf Course in Alexandria, and a Saturday morning youth sports clinic hosted on the Northwestern State University campus.
Hall, a three-time All-American — twice a first-team selection — was a record-setting pitcher for Louisiana and led the Ragin’ Cajuns to their first Women’s College World Series in 1993. Former UL coach Yvette Girouard, the winningest coach in state history and already in the National Fast-Pitch Softball Coaches Hall of Fame, called her a "pioneer" in state softball.
In her four-year career from 1991-94, Hall compiled a 104-20 record (.839) for the best career winning percentage in state history and one of the nation’s top 15 all-time marks.
Hall owns a career 0.50 ERA, including an 0.23 mark in 1992 which ranks in the NCAA’s all-time top 20, when she had a 30-4 record. She topped that with a 31-3 record as a senior in 1994, which also ranks in the NCAA’s top 20 all-time marks.
The Cajuns had a combined 155-24 record in her final three years, and she had a win over top-ranked Arizona in the 1993 WCWS in leading the Cajuns to a third-place national finish.
More than half of Hall’s career wins (56 of 104) were shutouts, and she holds school records for no-hitters (17) and perfect games (five). She is now the head coach at the University of Houston.
The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame includes nine members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, six of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players, six baseball Hall of Fame inductees, 13 Pro Football Hall of Fame members, seven Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame enshrines, 18 Olympic medalists (10 gold medal winners), 32 College Football Hall of Fame members, three National High School Hall of Fame enshrines, jockeys with a combined 12 Triple Crown victories, six world boxing champions, three College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, three NBA Finals MVPs and two Super Bowl MVPs. A complete membership list and biographical information on all 277 current members is available at the www.lasportshall.com website.
— Ragin’ Cajuns —
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