After a series sweep over Georgia State and clinching the program’s 16th Sun Belt regular season championship, you’d think that Louisiana Ragin Cajuns softball head coach Gerry Glasco is over the moon about his team’s performance all season long.
That wasn’t the case as he was upset about the defensive effort over the weekend against the Panthers.
“We didn’t practice at all during that big long swing and we didn’t practice defense through the weekend,” Glasco said on Monday during his press conference, “The only thing I saw that was negative was that our defense looked really loose and sloppy over the series against Georgia State and we’ll get back to work on that this week.” It’s understandable though with four errors in the three-game series and if not for another good weekend by Summer Ellyson, perhaps the Panthers could have snapped the Cajuns’ impressive win streak.
“We were able to overcome that thanks to Summer on the mound, but we made some uncharacteristic defensive mistakes and I think that was due to fatigue and a lack of practice. I’m not satisfied with our defense overall,” Glasco said. The fatigue that he is referring to is definitely a reference to playing five games in six days, including a trip back from North Carolina after a pair of games against Campbell and UNC Greensboro.
That being said, it’s not the only thing that the Cajuns have to focus on as the Sun Belt Conference Tournament game. They are looking to lock down who will be starting at second base, but will have a hard time making that decision.
We’ve been experimenting and I’ve had Keeli Milligan there the last three weeks if she’s got more comfortable,” Glasco said. “But I’m really proud of how Cassidy Chaumont has come through this year,” She hit in the 180s and 190s last year and this year we’ve platooned her and her average is .325 and is second on the team with doubles.
“However I play it this weekend will be our second baseman in the postseason. Depending on what happens in practices, we’ll go with Cassidy or Keeli at second. If Cassidy is at second, Keeli will be in right field. I have to have her in the lineup.” Glasco also mentioned that the lineup that will be out there this weekend against Coastal Carolina will be what you see the rest of the way.
-Clint Domingue