No. 17 Cajuns Claim SBC Opener

MUFREESBORO, Tenn.-No. 17 Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team opened up Sun Belt Conference play on the road taking on the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders. The Cajuns (18-5) claimed an 8-1 victory in the first game of the double dip.

The Cajuns collected 14 hits in the game, including a three-run homer from catcher Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas).

Katie Smith (Ruston, La.) and Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) led Louisiana with three hits apiece. Smith collected three singles while Tankersley had a pair of singles and a double.

Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.) and Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) both had multiple hits in the game as well.

In the circle, Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) pitched 5.0 innings, allowing one run in the game. She fanned 11 batters while scattering just three hits. She did not allow a free pass in the game, earning her 11th win of the season.

Over her last two games, Brignac has worked 10.0 innings, allowing just one run. She struck out 24 batters without allowing a walk and surrendering just three hits. Brignac retired 19 consecutive batters during the two-game span with a perfect game against IUPUI.

The Cajuns jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Leadoff batter Brodhead reached base on a throwing error by the Blue Raiders. Tankersley doubled to left centerfield. Brodhead ran through the stop sign, but slid under the tag to score the first run of the game.

The Blue Raiders knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning. Whittney Padgett lined a single down the left field line. A successful sacrifice bunt moved the runner into scoring position and a pitch in the dirt allowed the runner to advance to third base. A Texas league single to shallow centerfield plated the runner and tied the score at 1-1.

The Cajuns broke the game open in the fourth inning scoring five runs on three hits and a little help from a pair of errors from Middle Tennessee. With one out, Smith singled to the shortstop to get things started for UL. Brodhead followed with a fielder' choice, but the throw to try to retire Smith was off the mark, leaving both runners safe. Tankersley singled back to the pitcher loading the bases for Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas). The sophomore belted a deep shot to right field. The Middle Tennessee right fielder chased down the fly ball, but dropped the ball allowing a pair of runs to score. With two runners on and two outs, Bowers went opposite field with her fourth home run of the season. The three-run shot gave the Cajuns a 6-1 lead through four and a half innings.

With two outs in the fifth inning, Smith once again reached base safely with an infield bunt single. The speedy Smith stole second base. An RBI single by Brodhead scored Smith from second easily, giving the Cajuns a 7-1 edge.

The Cajuns added a run in the final inning of play to claim the 8-1 victory.

The Ragin' Cajuns and Blue Raiders will play a second game at approximately 2:00 p.m.

-wwwRaginCajuns.com-

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