Of all of the everyday performers on the UL Ragin’ Cajuns softball team, sophomore third baseman Natalie Fernandez might be the easiest to overlook to the average fan.

Defensively, she plays on the left side of the infield with junior shortstop Nerissa Myers, who is known around the country for her spectacular defensive prowess.

As a hitter, she hits in the No. 9 spot and doesn’t drive in runs or get any extra-base hits.

Even as a slapper, Fernandez yields to fifth-year senior Katie Smith, who leads the Cajuns in hitting at .444.

Truthfully, on a team filled with fifth-year seniors and All-Americans, it’s not very hard to take Fernandez’s contributions for granted.

For the record, Fernandez herself isn’t worried about obtaining acclaim or recognition.

If she did ever need it, though, UL co-head coach Michael Lotief will tell you his unassuming third baseman doesn’t have to go very far to receive praise.

"If anybody doesn’t understand how important Natalie Fernandez is to our success, tell them to come talk to me," he said. "She’s one of the major reasons why we’re 52-4. There’s no doubt about it."

In addition to her big smile and easy-going personality being a perfect complement to the team’s chemistry, Fernandez shines in two significant areas for the nationally ranked Cajuns — with her glove at third and her slapping skills to help ignite UL’s powerful offense.

"Her feet are incredible," Lotief said. "She just takes away the short game and the six-hole. A lot of people focus on Nerissa, and Nerissa’s great, but believe me, Nerissa couldn’t do a lot of the things she’s able to do if Natalie wasn’t as good as she is."

That’s big talk for a 5-foot-5 sophomore in her first year as a regular starter who had never played third base in her life until last season.

Fernandez was recruited by the Cajuns as a second baseman and an outfielder. Once the coaches saw how talented her hands, feet and glove work were upon arriving in Lafayette, the outfield was scratched off as her eventual destination.

Fernandez played some third a year ago, but was penciled in as the starter there when Megan Granger had to undergo surgery this past fall. After her performance there this season, it’ll likely take another injury to keep Fernandez from being a three-year starter at the hot corner.

"Natalie doesn’t really fit our prototype for a third baseman," Lotief said. "A Becky McMurtry or a Melissa Verde would be more of our prototype for that position. But her lateral range and her hand-eye coordination are just so good that it doesn’t matter."

Fernandez doesn’t look at being overshadowed by Myers at short or Smith in left as a negative.

"They have both helped me out a lot." she said. "We all feed off of each other. It’s not about recognition. It’s about making the plays. Everybody has one goal and that’s to win the national championship. That’s it."

The Denham Springs native played shortstop at Live Oak in high school and second base and the outfield in summer ball.

"I had never really thought about playing third," Fernandez said. "We do a lot of drills (during the fall) to make your hands faster and that helped me a lot. Having quick feet helps too."

Fernandez has also noticed that her experience at third base has helped her as a hitter.

"I think, ‘If I was at third base, would I be able to lay a bunt down there and get a hit?" she said. "It’s me to understand where I need to hit it to get on."

As for her slapping, the All-Central Region team honoree feels like she’s just maturing into that role as an expert slapper this season.

"I started doing it when I was 9 years old," Fernandez said. "I didn’t really know what I was doing and neither did my coaches. We were just trying to do what the other kids were doing.

"I didn’t really start to understand it until I got here. I had never talked so much about it as much as we do once I got here with Katie and Nerissa and Erikka (Murphy)."

Fernandez said she now sees pitches as well as any traditional hitter. Her numbers certainly back up that statement. She’s currently second on the team in hitting at .433 with 16 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.

Despite being an old-school slapper with no extra base hits, Fernandez has managed to get on base to the tune of a .500 on-base percentage, despite the defense playing close to the batter’s circle.

"If the third baseman plays too close, I’m not going to bunt it at her," Fernandez said. "You just have to have a good eye for where the defenders are."

Off the field, Lotief said Fernandez is an unsung hero there as well.

"She’s just such a fun kid to be around," he said. "She’s such a positive kid. I’ve never seen her get down. She’s very selfless.

"Because she’s played so many different positions, she’s kind of in tune with everybody on the field. She knows what everybody should be doing."

By next season, Fernandez will likely be the team’s lead-off hitter and one of the returning veterans. Right now, she’s focused on Thursday.

"I’m going to be nervous, but that’s me," she said. "I’m nervous for every game. We’re confident we can do it."