NCAA Ann Arbor Super Regional
Date: May 24-25
Location: Ann Arbor, Mich.
Site: Alumni Field at Wilpon Complex
Radio: ESPN 1420
Live Stream: Game One | Game Two | Game Three (if nec.)
Times: Friday – 1:00 P.M. (Central) Saturday – 11:00 A.M. (Central)
Ann Arbor Super Regional Central
Contact: Nick Ross
WHAT’S ON TAP? After winning all three games in shut out fashion at the Baton Rouge Regional, the Cajuns are back in the NCAA Super Regionals for the second-straight season, this time to face Michigan, on Friday, May 24 at 2:00 EDT and Saturday, May 25 at 12:00 P.M. EDT with an if necessary game to follow. The Cajuns will make the trip to Ann Arbor for a best-of-three series with the Wolverines, with the winner making a trip to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE CAJUNS: All three Super Regional games will be shown live online on ESPN3 as well as on an ESPN cable channel. The opener will be broadcast on ESPNU, with the proceeding games on ESPN. Radio broadcasts will be available locally on KPEL ESPN 1420, with Steve Peloquin providing the commentary. Live stats can be found on the schedule at RaginCajuns.com.
EARLIER THIS SEASON… Michigan and Louisiana aren’t strangers, they have faced each other on 11 other occasions, including Feb. 22 at the NFCA Lead Off Classic in Clearwater, Fla. The Wolverines won in a close pitchers duel, 3-1. The Wolverines used a two-run homer in the bottom of the second to oust the Cajuns. The Cajuns won the previous meeting, also in Clearwater, by a score of 10-7 and hold a 6-5 lead in the all-time series.
REGIONAL RECAP: The Cajuns shut out the field at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, defeating Northwestern Stat, 3-0, before beating LSU twice, winning 3-0 on Saturday, and 1-0 on Sunday. Jordan Wallace pitched all 21 innings for Louisiana, allowing just seven hits and striking out 25 batters. Senior Nerissa Myers added to her all-time Ragin’ Cajun record with four runs on the weekend.
ALL-REGIONAL TEAM: After tossing 21 scoreless innings, Jordan Wallace was named the Baton Rouge All-Regional MVP. She was joined on the all-regional team by Cajuns seniors Brianna Cherry and Nerissa Myers. Myers scored four of the Cajuns seven runs and Cherry had a clutch home run in the first game against LSU.
‘SUPER’ SENIOR CLASS: The 2013 senior class will be participating in their third regional in four years. Brianna Cherry, Nerissa Myers, Sarah Draheim and Megan Waterman were freshman in 2010 when the Cajuns went to the UCLA Super Regional and juniors last season at the Tempe Super Regional. This will be the fourth Super Regional appearance for Matte Haack, who transferred from Arizona last season. While at Arizona they hosted Super Regionals both years and advanced to the National Championship series her freshman year.
WALLACE’S WINNING WAYS: With 31 wins on the season, Wallace has joined the single-season victory list, becoming the eighth player in history to win 31-or-more games at Louisiana. She ties Ashley Brignac (2008), Brittany Cuevas (2007) and Kyla Hall (1994) for the fifth-most wins in history. She is one win shy of tying Ashley Brignac’s 2011 season and fourth all-time. Brooke Mitchell holds the all-time record with her 45-win season in 2004.
POSTSEASON PERFORMANCE: Senior Sarah Draheim has been brilliant in the postseason, batting .444 (12-for-27) in eight games. She has slugged at a .704 clip and has reached base at a .500 rate with two home runs and a team leading 13 RBI. Her 13 RBI leads the team with the next highest at six. In the circle, Jordan Wallace has led the Cajuns, starting six of eight games, going 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 44.0 innings pitched. She was named the Regional Tournament MVP.
FABULOUS FIRST INNINGS: The Cajuns scored in the first inning in all three games at the Baton Rouge regional, giving them the lead that would not be relinquished each time. They have scored in the first inning 36 times this season going 30-6 when doing so. They are also 29-1 when leading after the first inning. The Cajuns out-score their opponents 92-26 in the first inning.
MOVING UP THE STRIKEOUT LIST: Jordan Wallace has fanned 356 batters this season, which is second most all-time at Louisiana, moving past Brooke Mitchell’s 2005 campaign of 342. Mitchell also holds the all-time record with 524 strikeouts in the 2004 season.
CONQUERING AT CATCHER: Senior catcher Sarah Draheim has started all but one game behind the plate this season, catching in almost every inning and making just one error in 474 total chances. In her career, she has made eight errors on 1,394 chances for a .998 fielding percentage. If that holds, it will be the best fielding percentage of all-time at Louisiana, tying Tiffany Whitthall (1992-95), and topping current assistant coach Lana Bowers’ .993 fielding percentage.
THREE CAJUNS ON ALL-REGION: After leading the Cajuns to a regular season record of 40-11, three Cajuns were named to the All-Central Region team. Brianna Cherry and Sarah Draheim were named first team all-region and Nerissa Myers was named to the second team all-region. All three were also named first team All-Sun Belt.
