Late Rally Falls Short Against #9 Oklahoma

FULLERTON, Calif.-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team dropped their third game of the 2009 Judi Garman Classic, falling to No. 9 Oklahoma, 8-5 on Saturday evening at Anderson Family Field.

After falling behind 8-1, the Cajuns (14-5) used a Gabriele Bridges grand slam to pull within three, but could get no closer and fell to the Sooners (22-7).

The Cajuns played extremely well defensively. UL turned a season-high two double plays, including an inning-ending 5-4-3 to halt an OU threat in the third inning. Codi Runyan caught a line drive and managed to double-up the Oklahoma runner on first. With the Sooners threatening in the sixth inning, Runyan made a running, shoe-string catch to end the inning.

Offensively, Louisiana collected four hits, slap hitters Katie Smith and Karli Hubbard combining for three hits and Bridges coming through with her second grand slam of the season.

In the circle, Donna Bourgeois took the loss for the Ragin' Cajuns. She worked a complete game, surrendering eight runs on 12 hits. Bourgeois struck out just three batters and surrendered a pair of walks. Bourgeois kept the hard-hitting bats of Oklahoma in the field of play inducing 11 ground ball outs compared to just two fly balls.

Brittany Cuevas entered the game in the seventh inning in relief. After starting her outing with three straight balls, Cuevas regrouped and got the leadoff batter to fly out and the second batter of the inning to ground out to second base. She allowed a hot shot base hit, before inducing a ground out to end the inning.

Oklahoma was the first to score, putting up five runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. The Sooners batted around, collecting six hits in the process. The biggest damage of the inning was inflicted by OU's Krystle Huey. The sophomore placed a 2-2 pitch in between the second base and right field for a two RBI single.

The Sooners added a run in the top of the fourth inning. An infield single started the inning for OU, but Bourgeois retired the lead runner on a fielder's choice. A deep fly ball that dropped just inside the foul line gave Oklahoma runners on second and third with one out. A ground ball plated the lead runner and a second ground ball ended the inning, but saw the Cajuns on the wrong end of a 6-0 score.

Louisiana scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to five runs. Smith ended Allee Allen's perfect game with a single to shallow left field. Hubbard reached on a fielder's choice, but the throw to try to retire Smith was errant allowing both batters to reach base safely. Melissa Verde was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Runyan came through with a sacrifice fly to deep center field to score Smith from third. Bridges walked to load the bases once again, but a strikeout and a fly ball ended the inning and ended the Cajuns' rally.

Oklahoma increased their lead in the top of the sixth inning. The Sooners added a pair of runs on one hit, leaving two runners stranded.

The Cajuns added four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on one swing. Hubbard singled to center field to start things off for the Cajuns and Verde walked. Runyan reached on a fielder's choice and Hubbard advanced to third. Ashley Ray pinch ran for Runyan and Christi Orgeron walked to load the bases. Kelly Cormier pinch ran for Orgeron, but the Cajuns would not need the added speed as Bridges homered to right field for her second grand slam of the year, cutting the deficit to just 8-5.

The Ragin' Cajuns conclude the Judi Garman Classic on Sunday with a single game against New Mexico. First pitch with Lobos is slated for 5:30 p.m. (Central).

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

Late Rally Falls Short Against #9 Oklahoma

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Late Rally Falls Short Against #9 Oklahoma

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