Kevin Foote, The Advertiser, March 15, 2013

In so many ways, UL ace right-hander Jordan Wallace has a lot working against her this season.

For one, she’s the only proven Division I pitcher on a nationally-ranked team, which places a certainly burden on her shoulders.

Secondly, she’s having to carry that load as a sophomore coming off a fantastic freshman season, putting her in prime position for what some call a sophomore jinx.

Then there’s perhaps the biggest issue facing Wallace, she’s having to carry that load while trying to change her approach in the circle.

So let’s just say that Wallace has a lot on her mind as she leads the defending Sun Belt champion Ragin’ Cajun softball team to meet No. 1 contender South Alabama for a crucial three-game series this weekend in Mobile, Ala.

The series begins with a 1 p.m. doubleheader today, before a 1 p.m. single game Sunday.

"Jordan has been put in a bad situation," UL coach Michael Lotief said. "We’re asking her to go through something that should have been done in the fall. That kid’s a winner. She’s a competitor. She deserves a lot of credit to be willing to experience failure under fire, especially after all the success she experienced last year. Not a lot of kids would be willing to do that."

In other words, Wallace had success pitching a certain way last season. But in Lotief’s mind, for her to be the kind of No. 1 pitcher that could carry a team against the elite programs nationally, her approach in the circle must be expanded. Such experimentation facing the likes of Michigan and Texas and Texas A&M, not to mention hungry Sun Belt rivals, can be a dangerous proposition.

"She’s trying to command three different spins," he said. "It’s more down, offspeed this year (after focusing on curve and rise ball last season)."

Lotief explains that sometimes Wallace goes to the circle and it’s there. Other times, she doesn’t have the feel of the new spin, tempting her to go back to the pitching approach of her freshman season. Sometimes she gives in to the temptation and sometimes she doesn’t.

"It’s a tough thing to go through," Lotief said.

UL’s head coach vividly remembers a past Cajun All-American pitcher Brooke Mitchell going through the same struggles in her second season.

"She (Mitchell) accepted the challenge her sophomore season," Lotief said. "In her junior year, she was an All-American and we went to the College World Series."

That’s certainly the carrot that Wallace is focusing on.

"Right now, it’s about getting better," Wallace said. "We’re trying to work on stuff.

"Our at-bats haven’t been as strong. We’ve seen different pitchers. We’re being exposed. We’re trying to get through these things."

One thing Wallace did point out at the press luncheon earlier this week is that the recent slump — somewhat broken up by a doubleheader sweep over Louisiana Tech on Wednesday — "has definitely lit a fire" under the team, leading to extra batting practice for the hitters and bullpen sessions for the pitchers.

All of the "work in progress" issues that UL is currently enduring are coming at a unique time in the program’s history. It’s happen before, but very few times has there been a threat to keep UL from winning the Sun Belt title as dangerous as South Alabama appears to be this spring.

The Cajuns have won 11 of the last 12 regular season SBC crowns, including the last five. South Alabama, however, is 21-4 overall, 7-0 at home and seems to be the strongest where the Cajuns have had question marks — in the circle.

Hannah Campbell gave the 2012 Cajuns fits for most of the three-game series, although the Cajuns pitching was even better in pulling off a 1-0, 2-0, 3-0 sweep of the Jaguars.

The left-hander is 9-3 so far this season with a 0.78 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 71.2 innings. She’s backed up by Farish Beard at 8-0 with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 79 in 56 innings.

UL counters with Wallace at 10-5 with a 2.06 ERA and 115 strikeouts in 88.1 innings, but then three unproven options behind her. Victoria Brown (4-0, 4.04) has thrown 26 innings, Christina Hamilton (2-1, 3.85) 23.2 innings and Kristin Martinez (2-3, 3.63) 27 innings.

The expected plan is for Wallace to pitch games 1 and 3 and it’s been a flip of the coin for how the remaining innings have been dispersed.

"I realize that this South Alabama series is very important, but it’s not life or death," Lotief said. "These kids are still going through a process."