UL Escapes with Doubleheader Sweep

MIAMI-No. 19 Louisiana returned to Sun Belt Conference play on the road at Florida International and escaped the day one doubleheader with a pair of wins. The Cajuns (26-10, 5-2 Sun Belt) opened the day with a 7-6 victory and finished off the twin bill with a 9-8 win.

The Cajuns were led offensively by Kelly Cormier (Abbeville, La.). The redshirt freshman hit .571 on the day, going 4-for-7 with a triple and three runs scored.

Senior Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) and freshman Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) both had a pair of home runs on the day. The tandem both had one home run apiece in each of the two games. Tankersley finished the day 4-for-8 (.500) with two home runs and six RBI, while Bridges was 2-for-6 with a pair of homers and three RBI.

GAME ONE RECAP

MIAMI-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team survived a scare in game one against Florida International, as they pulled out a 7-6 victory at FIU Softball Complex in Miami, Fla.

The Cajuns' (25-10, 4-2 Sun Belt) Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) scored on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh inning to push the score to 7-3. The run would prove to be the winning run as FIU (22-24, 6-3 SBC) used back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the seventh to score three runs. The comeback fell short as the Cajuns slammed the door on the Golden Panthers and came away with a one-run victory.

The Ragin' Cajuns received a complete game effort from starting pitcher Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.). Brignac (15-6) worked 7.0 innings allowing six runs, but just four earned runs. She fanned 11 batters, including seven of the first eight batters she faced. Brignac added an assist and a put out during the game.

Leading the way offensively was Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas), Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) and Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas). Each of the trio each had a pair of hits, with Tankersley belting a home run.

Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) also added a home run during the game along with a pair of RBI.

Florida International was the first team to put up a run in the game. After striking out the first two batters, Brignac worked the count full against FIU's Monique White. The 2007 All-Sun Belt Conference selection hit the ball over the left field fence to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Brignac rebounded by fanning the next batter.

Louisiana worked out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the second inning. Brignac began the inning with her fourth strikeout of the game. She followed with back-to-back walks before fanning the next batter for the second out of the inning. With two on and two out, a third walk of the inning loaded the bases, but Brignac worked out of the jam with her sixth K of the game.

The Cajuns threatened in the top of the third inning. Gaspard singled with one out and advanced to second on a throwing error by FIU. A pitch in the dirt moved Gaspard to third base. A groundout failed to plate the runner. Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) hit a deep fly ball with two outs to the warning track for the final out keeping the Cajuns from scoring.

The Golden Panthers added a run in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, Lauren Spiers tripled to right centerfield. A throwing error by the Cajuns flew into the dugout advancing Spiers home with an unearned run. A lazy popup back to Brignac ended the inning, but saw the Cajuns trailing 2-0 after three complete innings of play.

Trailing 2-0 in the fourth inning, the Ragin' Cajuns knotted the score at 2-2 with one swing of the bat. With two outs in the inning, Bowers reached base on a fielding error by Florida International. Bridges made the hosts pay for their mistake as she belted her sixth home run of the season.

The Cajuns took their first lead of the series in the fifth inning. Tied at 2-2, Gaspard singled through the left side of the infield. Tankersley blasted her team-leading 12th home run of the season to give the Cajuns a quick 4-2 edge. Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.) followed with a walk and moved to second on a Hubbard bunt single down the first base line. Bowers brought both runners home with a two-RBI double into the right field gap. The inning ended on a pair of stellar defensive plays by the Golden Panthers, but UL led 6-2.

FIU scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning. A two-base throwing error put a runner on second base and a walk gave the Panthers a pair of runners with one out. The Cajuns recorded the second out of the inning with a strikeout, but a single plated the lead runner and a second UL error of the inning allowed Florida International to reach second and third. A line drive ended the inning, but the Ragin' Cajuns lead had been trimmed to 6-3.

Louisiana added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. Hubbard led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and advanced to second on a Bowers single through the left side of the infield. A check-swing groundout by Bridges moved both runners into scoring position. A wild pitch plated Hubbard and gave the Cajuns a 7-3 advantage.

The insurance run would prove to be important as FIU rallied in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Golden Panthers led off the inning with a single to start the rally. Back-to-back home runs pulled FIU to within one run at 7-6 with no outs. The Cajuns retired the next three batters in order to close out the game and escape game one with a one-run victory.

GAME TWO RECAP

MIAMI-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns completed the two-game sweep of Florida International claiming a 9-8 victory over the host Panthers.

Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) picked up the win in relief en route to her seventh win of the season. The freshman worked 4.1 innings allowing just four hits and one earned run. Bourgeois fanned five batters, including a strikeout to end the game.

In the second game of the double dip, The Cajuns scored a run in the first inning to jump out to a quick 1-0 lead. Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) singled to the pitcher and moved to third on a one-out Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) to left field. A fielding error by FIU allowed Gaspard to score easily from third, giving UL a 1-0 edge.

The Cajuns produced a four-run inning in the top of the second to take a commanding 5-0 lead early. Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) hit her second home run of the day to lead off the inning. The solo shot was the seventh of her career.

Kelly Cormier (Abbeville, La.) continued the inning with a single to first base. She was advanced to second base on a successful sacrifice bunt by Katie Smith (Ruston, La.). Gaspard singled to the pitcher giving the Cajuns runners on the corners. Like Bridges, Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) hit her second home run of the day. The three-run shot was her 61st of her career.

The five-run advantage was short lived as FIU's Brook Ruiz hit a three-run home run with two outs in the bottom of the second inning. A single and a walk provided the base runners, while a pop up and a strikeout supplied the two outs before Ruiz's homer. A pop up to shortstop ended the inning with the Cajuns holding on to a 5-3 lead.

The Cajuns added a run in the top of the third inning. Cormier picked up her second hit of the game and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A passed ball by the FIU catcher moved her to third base. A fielder's choice RBI by Gaspard scored Cormier, who slid in safely underneath the tag.

The Golden Eagles tied the score in the bottom of the third inning at 6-6. For the second straight inning, the Cajuns were on the wrong end of a two-out three-run homer. A pair of walks sandwiched around a pair of outs set the stage for Ashley Faulk's game-tying three-run shot.

The Cajuns regained the lead with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Soto led off the inning with a base on balls. She advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third base on a ground out. Soto came into score on a fielder's choice, giving UL a 7-6 edge.

The one-run lead would be short lived as FIU tied the game in the bottom of the inning. A single started the inning and a groundout moved the runner to second base. An infield singled coupled with a throwing error by the Cajuns plated the runner and knotted the score at seven all.

Tied at 7-7 in the top of the fifth, the Cajuns broke the tie with a pair of runs. Cormier led off the inning with a triple down the left field line. Smith reached on a fielder's choice. The throw to the plate was high causing FIU's catcher to jump off of the plate, allowing Cormier to safely slide under the tag. Gaspard continued the inning with a single to the shortstop. Tankersley singled to left field to drive in Smith from second base and give Louisiana a 9-7 edge.

With the Cajuns leading by two in the bottom of the seventh inning, FIU led off the inning with a triple just over Karli Hubbard's (Lafayette, La.) head. A ground out to second base recorded the first out with the runner holding on third base. A second ground out to second base was good for out two, but this time the runner on third came around to score pulling the Golden Panthers to within one. Bourgeois slammed the door shut on the Golden Panthers fanning the final batter of the game and securing the doubleheader sweep.

The Ragin' Cajuns and Golden Panthers will conclude the three-game Sun Belt Conference series with a single game on Sunday afternoon. First pitch for the game is slated for 11:00 a.m. (Central Time).

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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