The obstacles for the UL softball team just keep coming.
If it鈥檚 not leaving too many runners on base, it鈥檚 forfeiting leads late by allowing walks and home runs.
If it鈥檚 not spending the night in the airport without much assistance from the airlines after a series loss at Coastal Carolina, then it鈥檚 the bus breaking down as it exits the ballpark at Troy.
Now it鈥檚 back to the road again for the Ragin鈥� Cajuns at 6 p.m. Tuesday against Louisiana Tech at Billy Bundrick Field in Ruston.
鈥淚 still think we leave a lot on the table in the sense that there are games we should win or could have won that we didn鈥檛,鈥� UL coach Alyson Habetz said. 鈥淚t comes down to little things that we need to take care of and get better at.鈥�
The Cajuns are 19-19 overall and 5-7 in Sun Belt play, while the Bulldogs are 23-15 overall and 10-5 in Conference USA. Tech beat Jacksonville State in two of three games at home last weekend while UL lost two of three at Troy.
The two teams played in Lafayette last Wednesday with UL winning 3-0 behind Sam Ryan鈥檚 three-hit shutout. Ryan (4-4, 3.59 ERA) followed that up with a promising effort at Troy as well.
鈥淎gainst Troy, she gave us a chance to win, she really did,鈥� Habetz said of Ryan. 鈥淪he was attacking the strike zone. Her off-speed is working better. She鈥檚 keeping people off balance. She鈥檚 not getting hit hard when she does get hit 鈥� it鈥檚 groundballs or little pop-ups.鈥�
The Cajuns scored three runs on six hits in five innings against Tech starter Allie Floyd last week.
鈥淎ssuming we鈥檒l see the same pitch, hopefully we鈥檙e going to continue to hit her, maybe hit her even better because we鈥檝e seen her already,鈥� Habetz said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be at their place, obviously. Go out there and execute, get some timely hitting and no freebies. Good pitching and defense.鈥�
The Bulldogs may see a change in the UL lineup after Mia Norwood went 2-for-3 with an RBI in the series finale win over Troy.
鈥淛ust put in Mia Norwood in the DP position in the last game, and she comes through with two hits and (one) RBI,鈥� Habetz said. 鈥淵ou give a kid an opportunity and she takes advantage of it, then she gets another opportunity.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to have athletes come off the bench and do something, because I think it sparks the whole team.鈥�
