Tankersley, Cajuns Open NFCA with 7-1 Win

COLUMBUS, Ga.-No. 16 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns (9-0) softball team got a home run and a five RBI performance from right fielder Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) and cruised to a 7-1 victory over No. 23 North Carolina in the opening game of the 13th Annual NFCA Leadoff Classic.

Tankersley finished the game with three hits, including a two-run home run. The senior slugger also had a pair of RBI singles to finish the game with five runs batted in.

Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) kept the Tar Heels off of the scoreboard for six innings before allowing an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brignac improved to 6-0 on the year. The freshman hurler recorded eight strikeouts while walking just two batters.

Brignac started the game with a strikeout and, after allowing a bloop single, she fanned the next two batters to end the first inning.

The Cajuns threatened in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) drew a base on balls. Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) followed with a single to shallow left field. The UNC left fielder miss handled the ball allowing Bridges and Hubbard to advance into scoring position. A heads up move by the Tar Heel catcher caught Bridges in a rundown ending the inning.

UL survived a North Carolina threat in the bottom of the second inning. The leadoff batter worked the count full and drew the free pass. The next batter attempted to move the runner on a bunt. The Cajuns opted to get the lead runner, but the throw to second base was late giving UNC runners on first and second. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. Brignac worked out of the jam by striking out the next two batters.

The Cajuns were the first to scratch the scoreboard. In the third inning, Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) reached on a fielder's choice and came across to score on a Tankersley home run. The homer for Tankersley was the 53rd of her career.

Following the home run, Louisiana loaded the bases with a Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) double and a pair of walks, but was unable to score anymore runs as a check-swing ground ball back to the pitcher ended the inning.

Tankersley added two more RBI in the top of the fourth inning. The Cajuns led off the inning with back-to-back bunt singles by Hubbard and Katie Smith (Ruston, La.). A ground ball moved the runners to second and third. Tankersley singled through left side of the infield plating both the speedy runners to give UL a 4-0 edge.

The Cajuns once again worked out of a jam in the bottom of the fourth inning. An infield single with one out gave UNC a base runner. An error gave the Tar Heels runners on first and second, but the next North Carolina batter hit into an inning ending double play.

Tankersley added another RBI in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs and a runner on third base, Tankersley lined a ball in to centerfield for her fifth RBI of the game.

With Tankersley on first base, Soto belted a two-run shot to right field to put the Cajuns up 7-0.

The Tar Heels scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to break up the shutout, but the Cajuns cruised to a 7-1 victory.

The Ragin' Cajuns will continue play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic with a game with Nebraska at 5:30 p.m.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Tankersley, Cajuns Open NFCA with 7-1 Win

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