UL Softball Wins Super Regional, Heads To Women's College World Series

For the sixth time in program history, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajun softball team is headed to the Women's College World Series.

Louisiana defeated the Arizona Wildcats, 7-1, on Saturday at Lamson Park, to win the best-of-three game Super Regional series between the two schools, 2-0.

The Cajuns scored three runs with two outs in the top half of the first inning off of Arizona starter Shelby Babcock, when catcher Lexie Elkins walked, before Samantha Walsh doubled, and Shellie Landry walked, loading the bases for left-fielder Shelbi Redfearn, who singled to right, driving home Elkins and Walsh, to make it 2-0.

First baseman Kelsey Vincent then singled, scoring Landry, to extend the lead to 3-0.

Arizona scored their only run in the bottom half of the second inning, when right-fielder Katiyana Mauga hit a solo home run off of UL starter Christina Hamilton, trimming the lead to 3-1.

Louisiana got their three-run lead back in the top half of the third inning, when Elkins belted a solo homer over the bleachers in left-centerfield, making the score 4-1.

In the top of the fourth inning, Vincent led off for the Cajuns with a walk, and then later scored on a two-out double, giving them a 5-1 lead.

Louisiana generated more two-out magic in the top of the fifth inning, when Redfearn singled, moved to second on a walk to Vincent, and later scored on a run-scoring single off the bat of designated player Sara Corbello, to make the count 6-1.

The Cajuns put things completely out of reach in the top of the sixth inning, when Elkins crushed another home run, her second of the game, and 22nd of the year, to make the score 7-1.

That was all UL would need, and they nailed down the six-run win, and secured their sixth trip to Oklahoma City, including their first since 2008.

Elkins finished the game going 2-for-3, with two home runs, three runs scored, and two runs batted in, while Redfearn went 2-for-4, with two RBI's, as the Cajuns outhit the Wildcats, 9-5.

Hamilton (29-2) recorded the win in the circle for Louisiana, tossing all seven innings, while allowing five hits, one run, and no walks, while striking out two.

View the game box score.

UL head coach Michael Lotief talked about Hamilton's performance, and mentioned her mixing things up from a day prior, by using more change-ups:

Babcock (6-1) suffered the loss for Arizona.

With the win, the Cajuns move to 49-8-1 on the year, with wins in 41 of their last 44 games, while the Wildcats fell to 44-16.

Coach Lotief spoke in the post-game press conference about how proud he was of his team, and his program.

Louisiana, who was one of only seven programs playing in their third-consecutive Super Regional, now moves on to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, along with seven other teams, for the 2014 Women's College World Series.

UL first-year assistant coach T.J. Hubbard, who spent many seasons as the head coach of North Texas, spoke about what the trip to Oklahoma City means to him, personally, and what it means to the program:

Louisiana will play their first game in the WCWS on Thursday at a time TBA.

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