The numbers that DJ Sanders has been putting up look like they belong on a save file of MLB the Show. Heading into this weekend’s series against Texas State (30-10, 11-5 Sun Belt), she had hit two grand slams against Troy and Southeastern Louisiana.
In the second game of a doubleheader on Friday against the Bobcats, the junior shortstop became the 11th player in collegiate softball to hit two grand slams in a single game. She was a true driving force to help the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (32-5, 14-0 Sun Belt) sweep both games.
Haley Hayden got the party started off right in the first game with a two-run blast over the center field wall to make it 2-0 in the top of the first. Alex Stewart had some issues in the bottom half of the inning with an illegal pitch and Lotief wound up pulling her in favor of Alyssa Denham after an RBI single from Ariel Ortiz.
Sanders pushed the Cajuns out to a 4-1 lead with a two-run blast of her own in the top of the third. Hayden got two more runs across in the fourth with a double and was followed up by an RBI single from Aleah Craighton.
Craighton wrapped the first game up in the sixth with a sac fly that sent home Kara Gremillion.
Denham improved to 13-1 allowing two hits, walking two, and striking out five in six and two-thirds shutout innings.
Ortiz got the Bobcats out to an early 1-0 lead with a solo shot, but it wouldn’t last long as the Cajuns put up six runs in the top of the second. This inning was highlighted by the first of the aforementioned grand slams from Sanders.
Kennedy Cline made it 6-2 with an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth, but Sanders closed the window of opportunity with gusto in the fifth with her second grand slam. That gave her six on the season, tying her with the national record for most grand slams in a single season.
Alex Stewart improved to 15-3 allowing four runs off of seven hits, walking two, and striking out five in six innings of work.
The Cajuns will wrap up the weekend series on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 pm.
-Clint Domingue