It’s a pure guessing game.
How many wins in the Sun Belt tournament does the UL softball team need to become an NCAA regional host?
“As a head coach, I feel extremely confident that with the strength of the Sun Belt Conference RPI this year, I feel extremely confident that even if we lost game one, we would host a regional,” UL coach Gerry Glasco said. “I do think it would affect our seeding.”
Along that same line, how many wins are required to get as high as a 12 or 13 seed?
“I think we’re in a position that if we can get to the final game and if we can win the final game, I don’t know we’ll be a 15 or 16,” Glasco said. “ I think we’ll be as high as 12 to 14. I’d be disappointed if we weren’t.
“If we win the conference tournament, I’ll be disappointed if we’re not a top 12, top 13 seed. Again, that’s just me guessing like every other college coach in the country.”
The only thing for the Ragin’ Cajuns to do these days is prepare for the Sun Belt tournament that opens Wednesday in San Marcos, Texas.
The Cajuns enter the tournament 40-16 overall and 22-2 in the Sun Belt. Top-seeded UL will play the James Madison-Southern Miss winner at 10 a.m. Thursday.
If the Cajuns win, they will meet the Coastal Carolina-Troy winner at 4 p.m. Friday.
"All the way through our bracket, it’s teams that we’ve already played,” Glasco said. “That’s good in some ways. It saves me a lot of time scouting, because the scouting reports are done from the regular season. While there may be minor changes, there won’t be dramatic changes.
“On the other hand, I know your team would like to see someone they haven’t seen all year, too.”
The Cajuns are coming off an impressive series win over Troy, having to really strain after the Trojans scored the first 10 runs of the series, including a 3-0 win in the opener.
“I think it’s up to us,” Glasco said. “We can make a lot out of that and turn it into something really positive for our team. I think it’s our responsibility to acknowledge the things that we’ve got to work on and get us in a better place going into the postseason.”
UL enters the postseason hitting .319 as a team with an on-base percentage of .392, a slugging percentage of .488 and 76 stolen bases. Mihyia Davis (.420, 15 RBIs, 21 SBs) and Brooke Ellestad (.363, 8 HRs, 43 RBIs) lead the way.
“Every single person on this team has the capability of getting it done,” UL right fielder Kayla Falterman said. “We have confidence in every single one of us, no matter what the opportunity is that you get, we believe in each other. We know that whoever’s up in that moment is going to get it done.”
In the circle, Sam Landry leads the way at 22-8 with a 2.02 ERA, giving up 129 hits, 58 walks and striking out 149 in 173 innings.
Chloe Riassetto is also a mainstay pitcher at 13-3 with a 2.85 ERA, but Denali Loecker had two productive outings against Troy. Lexie Delbrey (4-2, 3.57 ERA) also has contributed in recent weeks.
“When you get in the postseason, you’ve got to have more than two arms, so right now she’s in a good position to help us,” Glasco said of Delbrey.
