Photograph: Louisiana softball coach Garry Glasco Speaks About 2023. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Contributing Writer
During his previous five seasons as Louisiana head softball coach, Garry Glasco has featured teams with crushing offensive power and extensive run production.
So why is he now promoting team defense as his team opens the 2023 season Friday (4:30 p.m.) by hosting the three-day, 27th annual Louisiana Classics Tournament on Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park?
Glasco explains the issue this way:
The Ragin’ Cajuns are scheduled to play nine teams ranked in the Division 1 Top 25 preseason poll, with pitching staffs that will certainly curtail the effectiveness of most batters.
“Our schedule might not let us have anyone hitting at .350. This year we might succeed better with players who are .970 or .981 in fielding percentages and who are hitting .290,” Glasco said this week during a preseason press conference.
Instead of powering their way through victories, Glasco said Louisiana might approach the offensive side with a mindset for manufacturing scoring in different ways.
The Cajuns were 47-13 overall last year with a team that featured five freshmen starters.
Despite looking for what he says are the best defensive players, Glasco undoubtedly knows that he has enough offensive weapons available in Alexa Langechin and Karly Heath (13 homers each) and Stacey Kotzeninick (51 RBI).
There are also Jourdyn Campbell (.392 batting average) and Maddie Hayden (54 stolen bases) to help provide run production.
That hitting potential is perhaps why Glasco said his Cajuns emerged from a month-long training camp looking for players who can excel defensively.
Glasco said he promoted toughness for a training camp that also featured intensity.
The Cajuns additionally underwent a preseason series of live at-bats and situational softball, Glasco said.
Inside the circle, Glasco thinks the Cajuns will have a sufficient starting staff that includes Sam Landry, Meghan Schorman and Kaisha Lamb.
Pitching coach Justin Robichaux assumes more control of the pitchers this season, according to Glasco.
Robichaux has been handling the pitchers for three seasons and Glasco said he’s confident Robichaux can now handle a staff that has a number of potential contributors.
Glasco called the Cajuns’ schedule a “revealing” one.
Ahead for Louisiana are games against No. 2 UCLA as well as Oklahoma State, Florida, Florida State, Arkansas, Texas, Central Florida, LSU and Ole Miss.
