Wallace, Cajuns finish off tourney sweep

Technically, she wasn't perfect.

After all, UL coach Michael Lotief has accurately reminded us several times this season that senior pitcher Jordan Wallace isn't a robot.

If you factor in the preseason question marks surrounding Wallace, however, you could certainly get away with rounding off the right-hander's performance so far this season at perfection.

After throwing a no-hitter on Friday, Wallace settled for a one-hitter and a 6-0 win over Idaho State on Sunday at Lamson Park to cap the five-game sweep of the Mardi Gras Classic weekend for the No. 7-ranked UL Ragin' Cajuns.

"Jordan pitched very well again today," Lotief said. "She just has to continue to work the process and get stronger. She knows what it's all about."

Wallace did allow four walks and a hit a batter, but struck out nine more in Sunday's win to earn Mardi Gras Classic Most Valuable Player recognition.

"That (Idaho State) is a team that is filled with seniors," Lotief said. "They're grinders. They make you have to beat them and I think our kids did that. They didn't blink and we didn't either."

Largely responsible for giving Wallace enough offense to work with was Shellie Landry. The junior leftfielder smashed a solo home to left in the first inning. Landry then followed Haley Hayden's solo blast in the third with a line drive homer to leftcenter for a 3-0 UL lead.

Hayden and Landry are now both leading the team with five homers apiece through two weekends.

"Coach Mike gives you a plan both in pregame and before each at-bat," Landry said. "All we have to do is trust the plan."

Speaking of working together, Landry said it carries over to Wallace and the defense.

"Jordan is pitching with a lot more confidence this year," said Landry, who is now tied with Aleah Craighton for the team lead with 13 RBIs. "She knows we have her back and she has our back."

Lotief, for one, isn't surprised by Landry's hot start.

"Shellie's transformed herself mentally," he said. "She's invested in herself and she's invested in this team.

"Plus, she's an incredible athlete. The stars are lined up for her."

Samantha Walsh provided much of the rest of the offense for the Cajuns with an RBI single in the fifth and another one in the seventh. A throwing error accounted for the Cajuns' sixth run.

The second consecutive incredibly successful weekend for the Cajuns has now reached a runs total of 89-1, but don't expect coach Lotief's club to enter next weekend's tournament against the likes of Iowa, Hofstra, Missouri State and McNeese State overconfident.

"We don't think about that," Landry said. "I didn't even know that (89-1). We just focus on trying to get better every day."

Naturally, not every player is performing at a high level and baserunning has been an issue for two weekends now.

"I'm not worried about this team getting overconfident," Lotief said after the game. "For one thing, I'm about to walk in there (lockerroom) with a list of things they didn't do right."