Softball: Dalton and Lamb Set the Tone in Season-Opening Win for Louisiana

8th-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns lead from start-to-finish in first outing at UAB Green and Gold Classic

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A quick start at the plate, dominant start in the circle and a strong push at the end were the ingredients to a successful season opener in which No. 8 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball captured an 8-2 win over Jacksonville State at the UAB Green and Gold Classic.
 
Alissa Dalton, who finished 3-for-4 with pair of runs scored and three RBI, played a key part in the early lead and knockout punch. The senior shortstop singled to lead off the game and later scored, provide a sacrifice fly in the second inning for a 2-0 lead, then wrapped up the scoring with a two-run single in the seventh inning.
 
Kandra Lamb (4.2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 3 K) retired nine straight batters to start the game to set the tone in the circle. The lone run she allowed came off a bases-loaded infield single in the fourth inning.
 
Still a 2-1 contest in the sixth inning, Kaitlyn Alderink and Dalton executed a double steal and Ciara Bryan delivered an RBI single allowing Louisiana (1-0) to stretch out the lead to 4-1.
 
The Gamecocks (0-3) scratched an unearned run in their half of the sixth. The Ragin’ Cajuns left little doubt in the outcome quickly in the seventh inning as three batters in Taylor Roman launched a two-run home run increasing the edge to 6-2, then Dalton put JSU away with her two-run single.
 
Louisiana came away victorious in its season opener for the 20th consecutive season, a streak which began in the 2002 season.
 
DIAMOND NOTES

• Louisiana opened the season on the road for the first time since 2016 season. That year the Ragin’ Cajuns started off in Foley, Ala., at the Sand Dollar Classic.
• For the first time in 347 days the Ragin’ Cajuns competed against outside competition. It was the first contest since the 2020 season was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic following a March 11 doubleheader vs. Sam Houston State.
• Kandra Lamb made her first appearance in the circle since the 2019 season. The Australia native used a redshirt season in 2020.
• Casey Dixon, Summer Ellyson and Vanessa Foreman combined to throw 2-1/3 innings of relief and limited the Gamecocks to no earned runs and a single hit.
• Alissa Dalton produced her first three-hit game since the 2019 season (4-for-4 at App State on April 13). It was her first multiple-hit game in a season opener with Louisiana.
• Transfers Ciara Bryan, Jade Gortarez, Justice Milz, Frankie Izard and Vanessa Foreman all made their debut in a Louisiana uniform.
• Taylor Roman collected her first home run away from Lamson Park. It was also the first home run of the 2021 season for Louisiana.

UP NEXT
No. 8 Louisiana returns to Mary Bowers Field once more on Saturday facing host-UAB in a game originally scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m., but will be delayed due to Day 1 of the Green and Gold Classic running behind schedule.
 
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