University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Cajuns Slip Up in Series Finale With FIU, Back in First-Place Tie
4/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Saturday, April 15, 2006
LAFAYETTE – Sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt Conference race for the 13th-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team lasted roughly three hours as FIU rallied to defeat the Cajuns 7-3 (8 inn.) in the finale of a three-game Sun Belt series at Alfred and Helen Lamson Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park.
The Golden Panthers got two home runs and five RBI from Jennifer Powell with her second being the game-winning hit in the eighth inning.
UL got two hits apiece from Danyele Gomez (2-for-4) and Lacey Bertucci (2-for-3).
The Cajuns who had defeated FIU 4-1 in Saturday's first game to take a one-game lead in the standings fell back into a first-place tie at 4-2 in the league. UL did take the series, though; winning two of the three matchups by virtue of Friday's 4-1 win.
Saturday's game two loss snapped the Ragin' Cajuns' 37-game home winning streak and ended a string of 35 straight Sun Belt Conference wins at Lamson Park.
FIU became only the second team and the first since Western Kentucky on April 6, 2002, to post a victory UL's home facility in Sun Belt action.
The two teams battled through scoreless frames in the first and second innings. UL starting pitcher Krystal Lewallen held the Golden Panthers hitless.
The Ragin' Cajuns (34-8, 4-2 Sun Belt) broke through with the game's first run in the bottom of the third inning when Brittany Bryant picked up her second home run of the series. Bryant's homer was her eighth of the season and put the Cajuns in front 1-0.
Lewallen kept the Golden Panthers (21-23, 4-2 Sun Belt) off-balance allowing two hits through four complete. It was three hits in the fifth inning that allowed FIU grab the lead.
The third hit was Powell's first home run of the contest. Lewallen had her down with two strikes and two outs in the inning. Powell got a hold of an offering and drove a line drive that came inches away from hitting the top of the fence but had enough clearance to fall behind the wall for a three-run home run that put the Golden Panthers on top 3-1.
UL fought back from the deficit to force extra innings getting single runs in the fifth and seventh innings.
Brittany Bryant reached on a walk with one out in the fifth and moved up on a passed ball. With two outs, Bertucci hit a line drive right back up the middle that passed between the legs of FIU pitcher Sarah Belanger and rolled into the outfield allowing Bryant to motor around third and cross home plate to cut the FIU lead to 3-2.
UL would get a baserunner to third base in the sixth inning with two outs after Tara Hamilton (reached on an error to begin the inning) moved up on a wild pitch. Karli Hubbard grounded out to second base for the third out.
The rally would be complete in the seventh inning as the Cajuns scratched for a single run to tie the game and force extra innings.
Gomez rifled a single through the left side of the infield and Bertucci drew a walk. Both advanced on another wild pitch from Belanger and Ashley Evans picked up her first hit of the series when she singled into left field looping a ball between the left fielder and shortstop to score Gomez and tie the game at 3-3.
Hamilton lifted a fly ball into center field deep enough to score Kelsey Cammarata from third base with the winning run. A great throw from FIU center fielder Deomni Murray threw out Cammarata at the plate and kept FIU alive.
The Golden Panthers sent two batters to the plate in the eighth inning and it produced two runs. Tracey Deleon hit a bloop single behind the reach of Deserea Griffin at third base and stole second. Powell followed with her second home run of the game giving the Golden Panthers the lead for good.
Two errors later in the inning resulted in FIU tacking on two more unearned runs to increase the lead to 7-3.
UL's half of the eighth inning saw a one-out single by Griffin. A fly out by pinch hitter Leslie Pierce followed by Hubbard grounding one back to Belanger for the final out sealed the victory for FIU.
Lewallen (19-6, 1.75 ERA) suffered her second Sun Belt loss of the season surrendering seven runs (five earned) on nine hits over eight innings. The Golden Panthers got to her late picking up seven hits over the final four innings.
Belanger claimed the win for FIU as she upped her season record to 8-10. She fanned six over eight innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits.
No. 13 Louisiana-Lafayette will return to action on Wednesday, April 19 as the Cajuns travel to in-state foe McNeese State (17-25, 9-12 Southland) in Lake Charles. The doubleheader starts at 5 p.m.
The Cajuns' next Sun Belt action will take place Saturday-Sunday, April 22-23 in Denton, Texas, as UL visits North Texas (17-26, 1-5 Sun Belt) for a three-game series.
UL's next home contests will take place Saturday-Sunday, April 29-30 against Western Kentucky. That will be senior weekend and the last chance to catch the Cajuns at Lamson Park this season.
Fla. International 7,
Louisiana-Lafayette 3
(Apr 15, 2006 at Lafayette, La.) (Game 2)
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Fla. International.. 000 030 04 - 7 9
1 (21-23, 4-2 SUN BELT)
Louisiana-Lafayette. 001 010 10 - 3 8
3 (34-8, 4-2 SUN BELT)
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Pitchers: Fla. International - Belanger.
Louisiana-Lafayette - Lewallen.
Win-Belanger(8-10) Loss-Lewallen(19-6)
T-2:29 A-576
HR FIU - Powell 2 (2).
HR UL - Bryant (8).
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
