University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Western Kentucky
Ragin? Cajuns Open SBC Season with Split
3/21/2009 5:00:00 AM | Softball
LAFAYETTE-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team opened up Sun Belt Conference play with a two-game split with
The Cajuns collected 13 hits on the day, including 11 hits in the second game.
Smith led the way with three hits, while Bowers finished the second game of the twin bill 2-for-3 with a home run and a double.
UL received a pair of solid efforts in the circle from pitchers Ashley Brignac and Donna Bourgeois. Brignac worked game one, tossing seven innings, surrendering one unearned run on three hits, while striking out five. Bourgeois picked up her 12th win of the season, scattering nine hits in seven innings, allowing three runs and fanning five.
GAME 1 RECAP
The Ragin' Cajuns dropped the first Sun Belt Conference game of the season as they fell 1-0 to
Neither team faired well offensively, combining for five hits. The Cajuns had two hits with Erikka Murphy collecting her first collegiate triple and Codi Runyan adding a base hit.
Brignac was solid in the circle. Brignac allowed just one earned run in the game, picking up her first loss of the season. She has currently worked 41.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Brignac fanned five batters, while walking just one.
The Ragin' Cajuns were plagued by errors throughout the first game.
The Cajuns were in good position to score in the third inning. Murphy led off the inning with her first collegiate triple. A popup and back-to-back shallow fly balls saw Murphy stranded on third and the score deadlocked at 0-0.
The Ragin' Cajuns worked out of a jam in the sixth inning. A bunt single started off the inning for the Hilltoppers. After an out, a throwing error by gave WKU runners on second and third with just one out. A walk loaded the bases. The Cajuns eliminated the lead runner on a fielder's choice back to Brignac and escaped without allowing a run with a popup to second base to end the inning.
Gabriele Bridges led off the seventh inning and reached base on a fielding error by WKU. Kelly Cormier entered the game to run for Bridges, but would go no further as a fly ball and a pair of strikeouts ended UL's comeback.
GAME 2 RECAP
The Ragin' Cajuns rebounded in the second game of the doubleheader downing
The Cajuns scored six runs on 11 hits in the second game, including a pair of extra base hits from Bowers.
Bowers finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBI and a run scored. The home run was her first of the season and the 12th of her career.
Smith led all Cajuns' players with three hits and two runs scored in the nightcap. Hubbard and Verde each added a pair of base hits and an RBI apiece.
The Cajuns jumped out to a quick lead in the second game of the twin bill. Smith reached safely with her 27th hit of the season, and a throwing error by WKU put the speedster on third base. A RBI single by Hubbard through the left side of the infield put the Cajuns ahead, 1-0.
In the second inning,
In the fourth inning, the Cajuns added an insurance run. Smith and Hubbard recorded back-to-back bunt singles to give the Ragin' Cajuns a pair of base runners. A well hit single to center field by Verde was enough to score Smith from second base and give the Cajuns a 5-0 lead after four innings of play.
UL added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning and surrendered a run in the seventh to provide the final margin of 6-3.
The Ragin' Cajuns and Hilltoppers will play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at
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