University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Baylor
Eight-Run Sixth Propels Cajuns
4/6/2007 5:00:00 AM | Softball
Melissa Verde began the sixth inning with a solo home run and capped off the outburst with a grand slam which provided the runs necessary to envoke the mercy rule.
Verde ended the game 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI.
The Ragin' Cajuns clinched the No. 1 seed for bracket play on Sunday. UL (11-1) will play at
Freshman pitcher Brittany Cuevas held Baylor (
A one-out single in the first inning from Codi Runyan led to the Cajuns scoring the first run of the contest. Holly Tankersley was hit by a pitch with two outs moving Runyan to second base.
Verde came through with a line drive through the right side plating Runyan with the game's first run.
The Bears pulled even for a brief moment when Ashley Monceaux led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a solo home run to center field.
UL reclaimed the advantage in the top of the fifth inning. Vallie Gaspard led off with an infield single to the back of the infield at shortstop. After Meagan Godwin struck out swinging, Gaspard stole second. The throw from Baylor catcher Courtney Oberg went into center field moving Gaspard to third base.
Runyan then came through with one of two RBI singles she would get between the fifth and sixth innings when she fired a single through the left side scoring Gaspard to give the Cajuns a 2-1 lead.
Baylor responded with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on the corners Alex Colyer took off running at first base attempting a steal at second. UL catcher Lana Bowers threw to second and Colyer retreated before being tagged out buying enough time for pinch runner Miriam Romero to score tying the game at 2-all.
Verde's first home run of the game set of an inning of fireworks for the Ragin' Cajuns which saw UL run away for their 10th straight home victory this season.
The Cajuns damage all came with two outs in the inning after Gaspard fouled out at third base.
With the bases loaded, Runyan roped a single through the left side to score Karli Hubbard and Lana Bowers pushing the lead to 5-2.
Lacey Bertucci followed with an RBI single that scored Godwin giving the Cajuns a 6-2 edge. Tankersley then singled into shallow left center field to reload the bases.
After Tankersley's hit the lineup was returned to Verde. She capped off a stellar inning of individual hitting when she skied a home run that clanged off the scoreboard in right field clearing the bases and increasing the UL lead to 10-2.
Cuevas worked around a one-out walk issued to Monceaux to retire the next three Baylor batters. She finished off her second victory over a ranked team this season with a strikeout of Kirsten Shortridge.
Louisiana-Lafayette improved to 3-0 this season against ranked teams with the victory.
Lisa Ferguson took the loss for the Bears who also lost their first game of the season.
Brittany Turner, who relieved Ferguson after Runyan's two-RBI single in the sixth, was charged with three runs off of three hits allowed in 1/3 inning of work.
