UL catcher Sophie Piskos tries to fire up the Cajuns during a doubleheader split with Georgia State on Saturday at Lamson Park.

UL first basemen Taylor Roman, left, waits for the ball to get the out of Georgia State shortstop Daisy Hess to complete a double play during a doubleheader split Saturday at Lamson Park.

UL catcher Sophie Piskos tries to fire up the Cajuns during a doubleheader split with Georgia State on Saturday at Lamson Park.

UL first basemen Taylor Roman, left, waits for the ball to get the out of Georgia State shortstop Daisy Hess to complete a double play during a doubleheader split Saturday at Lamson Park.

The No. 22-ranked UL Ragin' Cajuns have compiled some impressive statistics since the Sun Belt Conference began sponsoring softball in 2001.

The two-time reigning SBC champions came into this weekend's series against Georgia State having won 64 consecutive conference series - the nation's longest streak.

Georgia State's 4-1 win in Game 1 snapped the Panthers' 10-game losing streak at Lamson Park and threatened UL's series winning streak, but the Cajuns took advantage of five home runs for a 10-6 win in Game 2.

"After the first game was over, we responded really well," UL coach Gerry Glasco said. "They swung the bats with intent, which is what we didn't do in the first game. There was no intent or purpose in Game 1.

"We have power, but sometimes we forget and get tentative at the plate. We have to learn to attack and hit home runs."

Sophie Piskos went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and four RBIs, and Jourdyn Campbell and Stormy Kotzelnick each homered in the third inning to put the Cajuns up 5-3 in Game 2.

"It felt amazing," said Kotzelnick, who came into Game 2 with a .431 batting average. "My team needed that home run to get the excitement going. It was a great feeling to pump them up and get our bats going.

"We weren't going to go down (in Game 2) without a fight. We're young, but we're gritty."

Maddie Hayden's solo homer - her first career HR as a Cajun - extended UL's lead to 9-3 in the fifth. Alexa Langeliers doubled and scored a run. Hayden, who reached on a fielder's choice in the second inning, scored twice and Taylor Roman had two hits.

Langeliers leads the team with five home runs. Jenna Kean, who boasts a..533 batting average, had a hit, a run and a sacrifice bunt in Game 2. Campbell added another homer, her fourth of the year, in the bottom of the sixth inning.

"The home runs bring a lot of confidence and momentum," said Campbell, who said the team needed a boost after Game 1. "We were a little flat in the dugout, but I think we responded well by coming back. We played with confidence and played like ourselves.

"Once all our bats in the lineup get going, there's going to be no stopping us. I had a rocky start to the season, but I thank my teammates because they've been helping me find my swing and get comfortable in the batter's box."

In the top of the sixth with UL ahead 9-6, Kean's spectacular leaping catch over the right field fence robbed Daisy Hess of a game-tying home run.

"Jenna Kean is a fifth year senior," Glasco said. "I put her in the leadoff spot because I wanted to see her lead our team.

"That catch was an amazing catch. If she doesn't get it, it's 9-9. It had been a long, hard day. If that ball gets over the fence and ties the game, that tests the mettle of your ball club. I don't know how we would have responded. There is no way to overemphasize how great a catch that was."

Meghan Schorman started Game 2 and went four innings to improve to 4-1. Vanessa Foreman pitched four innings of relief and didn't allow an earned run

UL (14-5, 1-1) can sustain its lengthy conference winning streak with a Game 3 win at noon Sunday.

"We need to come out swinging and attacking Sunday," Glasco said. "In Game 1, we had runners in scoring position in the first and third innings and our clean-up hitter took strike three. She's young and learning the game, and those are the types of things you have to learn.. We have a lot to learn."

Kandra Lamb recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts in Game 1, but Panthers pitcher Hallie Adams was also effective.

Adams (2-2) scattered six hits and one run over 5.2 innings with five strikeouts for Georgia State, and catcher Carolyn Deady hit two home runs off Lamb (4-3).

UL, which hasn't lost an SBC series since March 2013, had dominated Georgia State before this weekend, sweeping six series and winning all seven since the Panthers joined the league in 2014.

The Cajuns own a 32-4 all-time series lead against Georgia State.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission

News Tips: newstips@theadvocate.com

Other questions: subscriberservices@theadvocate.com