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Sports

Head coach Holas returns with team to alma mater

Holas (0-4) hoping for first career victory against ULL 

UH head coach Kyla Holas had a remarkable career as a pitcher for Louisiana-Lafayette (104-20 record, 0.50 ERA) from 1991-1994. Because of the great success she achieved as a Ragin' Cajun, she was inducted into the ULL Athletics Hall of Fame in 1999.

Today, Holas is having similar success as a coach for the Cougars, and she brings her UH squad into Lamson Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park today to play a doubleheader with her alma mater. 

First pitch is set for 4 p.m., and the second game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.

Though playing ULL may certainly bring back fond memories from her playing days, Holas just wants her Cougars focused on competing against another nationally top ranked program — ULL is ranked No. 19 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll.

"I try to keep everything in perspective as far as on a personal level," Holas said. "It's a special opportunity anytime you play your alma mater. ULL is going to bring their best game. We need to stay composed and focused on the things we can control." 

ULL will be the eighth NFCA Top 25 ranked team that the Cougars have faced this year. UH has not fared well in those contests, winning only one game out of ten with the nation's elite.

"This doubleheader with ULL is a chance for us to play another quality Top 25 opponent on the road," Holas said. "It's the first time that we've faced them in a while."

The last time the Cougars and Cajuns squared off was during the 2002 season where ULL prevailed in a close contest 3-2.

Holas has a 0-4 lifetime record versus ULL, so she will be looking to notch her first career victory against her former school today. 

Holas' chances of picking up a win in the series are good given that ULL (35-12, 8-6 in Sun Belt Conf.) has gotten off to a poor start in the month of April, losing five out of six games.

Though Holas would like to see the Cougars keep the Ragin' Cajuns' losing trend going, she doesn't expect wins on the road against a top-ranked regional opponent to come easy. 

"There is no doubt in my mind that this is going to be a tough series," Holas said.

The Cougars (32-12, 13-2 in C-USA) are coming off a by-week following a torrid start in conference play.

The UH offense (averaging over .300 at the plate and scoring five runs per game in C-USA) is a big part of the team's success in conference, and Holas wants her hitters to pick up where they left off going into today's series.

"Our offense has found a groove over the last couple of weeks," Holas said. "We've had an off week so we need to make sure that we fine tune some things in practice before heading to ULL."

On the mound for the Cougars in the series opener will be junior right-hander Angel Shamblin (21-5). The Cougar ace enters the game 10 strikeouts shy of 500 for her career.

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