Inside the Numbers: DJ Sanders Louisiana at Lafayette
Louisiana at Lafayette (LLU) is not in a power conference and because of that they are sometimes lost in the shuffle. Not just as a team, but sometimes even their players get lost. Junior DJ Sanders is having a great season. So far the Columbus, MS native leads the nation in home runs (24), slugging percentage (1.085) and runs per game (1.26). She ranks first in RBIs as well with 63. On the season Sanders is batting .393 with a .520 on-base percentage.
Currently, Sanders sits at No. 13 on the active career leaders board in home runs with 45. Each year she has shown steady progress at the plate. As a freshman in 2015, she hit just .291 with four home runs. In 2016 she improved her average to .316 with 18 home runs. That improvement has made her one of the most dangerous hitters in the college game this season.
Last night against Texas A&M she 1-for-2 with two walks, a home run, three runs and three RBI. If anything, she appears to be heating up as the season goes. This is also a major reason that the Ragin Cajuns may be one of the most dangerous teams as the postseason nears.
Offensively Sanders accounts for 15 percent of the team’s runs, 22 percent of the RBIs and 36 percent of the home runs. Overall she has impressed, so much so that she is a finalist for 2017 player of the year. Based on her performance so far this season she has to be considered a serious threat to win the award.
