Softball: Softball Tops Eastern Illinois, Completes Classics Sweep + All-Tournament Team

LAFAYETTE – Haley Hayden and Shellie Landry combined for five RBI pacing No. 9 Louisiana to a 9-0 (5 inn.) win over Eastern Illinois Sunday afternoon at Lamson Park in the Louisiana Classics finale.
 
The trio of Alex Stewart (3.0 IP), Jordan Wallace (1.0 IP) and Kylee Jo Trahan (1.0 IP) combined for the two-hit shutout of EIU. Hayden finished the game 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI and hit .583 for the weekend with three home runs and seven RBI landing her tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.
 
The win marked career No. 600 for head coach Michael Lotief. Now in his 13th season at the helm, Lotief’s career mark stands at 600-147-1.
 
Louisiana (4-0) piled up a weekend-high 13 base hits and the pitching staff completed a tournament run of 22 shutout innings.
 
"I thought that Alex (Stewart) was really good, her stuff was dominant. Kylee (Jo Trahan) had to go through the first-time jitters, but she came out of it pretty good," Lotief said. "Then Jordan (Wallace), coming off that injury, I don’t know that I expected her to be as sharp as she was. Overall the pitching was very impressive."
 
The Ragin’ Cajuns are back in action Friday-Sunday, Feb. 13-15 hosting the Mardi Gras Classics presented by Hilton Lafayette at Lamson Park. Idaho State and Mississippi Valley join the Cajuns for the tournament.
 
Landry (2-for-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI) got the Cajuns off to a quick start, launching a two-run home run in the game’s second at bat.
 
An Aleah Craighton solo home run and Hayden RBI single extended the lead to 4-0 in the second inning. Three additional runs in the third inning stretched the advantage to 7-0.

Stewart zipped through the EIU lineup, striking out six and holding the Panthers (2-3) hitless in her three innings of action. Wallace and Trahan each tossed a single inning of shutout relief.
 
Hayden’s double, which brought in two runs in the fifth inning, lifted the Cajuns into a nine-run advantage closing out the contest early.
 
Meagan Thomas delivered a 3-for-3 effort and freshman DJ Sanders posted her first collegiate hits (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and first collegiate RBI.
 
DIAMOND NOTES: Louisiana hit .396 and clubbed 15 extra base hits (6 doubles, 9 home runs) over four tournament contests…Alex Stewart finished the weekend with six shutout innings and 11 strikeouts…Cajuns pitching tallied 39 strikeouts over 22 innings of work…Five different players tallied at least five hits during the Louisiana Classics (Aleah Craighton, Haley Hayden, Shellie Landry, Meagan Thomas, Kelsey Vincent)…Louisiana improved to 114-13-1 all-time in the Louisiana Classics, an annual occurrence dating back to 1987…Louisiana is nine wins shy of 700 at Lamson Park (691-102-1).

2015 LOUISIANA CLASSICS ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Aleah Craigton (Louisiana)

Haley Hayden (Louisiana)

Shellie Landry (Louisiana)

Kelli Martinez (Louisiana)

Kelsey Vincent (Louisiana)

Jordan Wallace (Louisiana)

Sam Forrest (Central Arkansas)

Hannah Stirton (Central Arkansas)

Amber Toenyes (Eastern Illinois)

Danielle Ramirez (Incarnate Word)