LAFAYETTE-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns sent their three seniors out in style earning a 10-0 mercy-rule victory in the final home game at Alfred and Helen Lamson Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park over ULM.
The Cajuns scored 10 runs on 10 hits, benefited from five ULM walks and a pair of errors to collect their 42nd win of the season. Seven of the Cajuns' nine starters collected hits in the game, including all three seniors.
Seniors Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.), Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) and Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) combined to go 4-for-7 with three runs scored, two RBI and a pair of walks.
Tankersley, Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) and Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) each collected a pair of hits in the contest to go along with a pair of runs scored each. All three drew a first inning walk as well.
In the circle, the Cajuns used Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) and Brittany Cuevas (Brazoria, Texas) to combine for the one hit shutout. The duo stung eight batters with strikeouts and did not issue a walk.
The Cajuns jumped out to an early 7-0 lead in the first inning. The Cajuns used three hits, five walks and a pair of ULM errors to score seven runs. A dozen batters stepped to the plate in the inning with seven Ragin' Cajuns reaching base safely in the first inning.
Louisiana added a run in the bottom of the second inning. Tankersley led off the inning with a double off of the left centerfield fence. She came around to score as Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) singled up the middle of the infield driving in Tankersley.
The Cajuns plated a pair of runners in the bottom of the third inning. A bunt single by Gaspard started the inning. She moved to second base on a Hubbard single back to the pitcher. Soto singled through the left side of the infield to load the bases for Tankersley. The senior right fielder singled up the middle plating both Gaspard and Hubbard, putting the Cajuns ahead, 10-0.
Louisiana will return to action at the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Tournament hosted by Troy. The Cajuns are the No. 1 seed after clinching the SBC regular season in Troy last weekend. UL will square off against Western Kentucky in the first round of the tournament at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7.
-www.RaginCajuns.com-
