Tied in the seventh inning, Allisa Dalton had a feeling.
It was the same feeling she first gotwhen Kelli Martinez reached ona single with two outs in the bottom of the inning, and the same one as well when Kara Gremillion singled to put runners on first and second.
It was spot on, too, as the crazy play Dalton initiated pushed No. 2 seed UL past No. 3 seed Georgia State 2-1 Thursday in its opening Sun Belt Conference Tournament game at Lamson Park. The victory advances the Cajuns to Friday morning's game against No. 1 seed Texas State, which moved on with 1-0 win over Troy.
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"Kelli coming in and getting on — from then on, we were like, 'OK, we've got it; we're going, this is how we do it,'" said Dalton, a transfer from Oklahoma who earlier this week was named the Sun Belt's Newcomer of the Year.
"The stands were all up and cheering, and I was just kind of in the zone — like, 'All right, this is our fans every game; this is the same energy, same situation, every game; we've got it; like, we always find a way to win.' And that's what this team is about."
Oh what a feeling, indeed.
UL coach Gerry Glasco had it, too, especially with Dalton at the plate and two runners on.
"Nobody sees the ball better than her,"Glasco said of the first team All-Sun Belt Conference selection who started the day hitting a team-high .390 with a team-leading 11 doubles and team-best 29 RBI.
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Nobodysaw what was coming next, either.
Dalton chopped a 1-2 delivery to Georgia State shortstop Skylar Mosel, who tossed the ball to second baseman Kirsten McMonigle for the force at second.
But McMonigle never fielded the toss, and Mosel crashed into her as Gremillion slid safely into the bag, allowing Martinez to score from second. McMonigle went down to the ground, twice actually,and as Panther eyes went to her, the Cajuns startedcelebratingnear home plate.
Dalton, truth be told, had noclue what was happeningas she raced to reach.
"My first thought was (Mosel) would go to first," she said, "so I was like, 'Beat it out, beat it out, beat it out.'
"Then I looked over at second to see if it was occupied, because I didn't see a throw. And then I sawthe ball rolling around because I didn't see a throw. I really didn't have any idea what was going on. Then I saw everybody running out on the field, and I was like, 'Yeah, OK, we won.' "
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Glasco, whose No. 21 Cajuns improved to 37-13,wasn't much more certain of what was happening himself.
But he did have a plan.
"I was already sending Martinez, because I ... thought we beat the throw (to second)," Glasco said.
"I actually thought Kara had got in, and (in) that situation it's just automatic, 'go on to home.' We had already sent the runner, and I was hoping that either the second baseman that took the throw would lookat the umpire or look to see where Dalton was at first and not realize we were going for home. So, I didn't even see the ball loose until the runner was halfway home."
PLAYER OF THE GAME
UL pitcher Summer Ellyson struck out five and walked none while throwing 105 pitches over7.0 innings.
"The key ... was Summer was outstanding and (gave) us time," Glasco said. "We've come to expect that out of her."
More:Ellyson a gem on the mound for Cajuns
Ellyson worked from a 1-0 deficit from the second inning through the sixth, but the Cajuns put up some runs in due time.
"I knew my team was going to score eventually," she said.
WHAT HAPPENED
Georgia State stranded six runners on the day and UL eight.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead inthe second, when Reagan Morgan singled, advanced on a steal and a wild pitch, and scored on Remington Hasty's single.
Arden Jobe opened sixth with a double for Georgia State, but there was no damage for UL as second baseman Casidy Chaumont got the first two outs on a double play with a line-out and an unassisted tagout.
"When Casidymade that play at second, I think that's when the energy and the momentum shifted to our side," Dalton said. "From then on, you could just feel everybody's mindset changed, like, 'OK, we've got it.'"
The Cajuns broke through with one out in the bottom of the sixth, when pinch-hitter Jolie Readeaux's RBI single scoredMartinez to tie itat 1-1. UL left the bases loaded, setting the stage for Ellyson to score Martinez in the seventh.
More:All-Sun Belt Conference Softball
LAGNIAPPE
None of the Cajuns struck out, and they drew four walks. ... Martinez was 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored. ... Attendance was announced at 1,087.
UP NEXT
UL plays Texas State at 11 a.m. Friday.
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