No. 20 UL Rolls Past Middle Tennessee

LAFAYETTE-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns (20-7, 3-2 Sun Belt) softball team collected 25 hits on the afternoon, including four home runs as they cruised past Middle Tennessee (6-23, 1-10), 7-0 and 11-3 (5 innings) on Tuesday at Alfred and Helen Lamson Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park.

Gabriele Bridges and Codi Runyan led the power attack for the Cajuns. Bridges finished the day 4-for-7 (.571) with who home runs. She went 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI in the night cap. Runyan was 3-for-7 (.429) on the day with a home run and a team-best seven RBI. In game two, Runyan was 3-for-4 with six RBI and a home run.

Lana Bowers also provided some pop for the Cajuns. The junior catcher had just two hits on the day, but made them count as she homered and doubled, driving in a pair of runs and scoring two more.

Karli Hubbard and Vallie Gaspard both hit .800 or better on the afternoon. Hubbard was 5-for-6 (.833) with five runs scored and two walks, while Gaspard was 4-for-5 (.800).

In the circle, the Cajuns registered two masterful performances.

Donna Bourgeois (14-4) threw game one and held the Blue Raiders scoreless for seven innings. She fanned seven batters while walking just one. Bourgeois scattered two hits through seven innings of work ? both singles ? facing four batters over the minimum.

Not to be out done, Ashley Brignac (5-2) tossed game two of the twin bill. The sophomore recorded 12 strikeouts on the night compared to just a pair of walks. She allowed three hits in five innings of work. Brignac surrendered three runs, but they were all unearned, extending her streak of innings without an earned run allowed to 56.1.

GAME 1 RECAP

The Cajuns pulled even in conference play with a 7-0 victory over Middle Tennessee in the first game of a doubleheader at Lamson Park.

The Ragin' Cajuns scored seven runs on 11 hits. UL hit a pair of home runs in the game. Bowers and Bridge went back-to-back with homers to left field. Hubbard paced the Cajuns with three hits in the game, while Gaspard finished 2-for-2 with a pair of singles.

Bourgeois was nearly perfect in the circle. She fanned seven batters while walking just one. Bourgeois scattered two hits and used solid Cajuns defense to keep Middle Tennessee off the scoreboard.

The Cajuns escaped a threat in the first inning. The leadoff batter hit the ball to third and an errant throw allowed the runner to advance to second base. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runner to third base, but a groundout and a strikeout stranded the runner.

In the third inning, Louisiana worked out of another jam. A base hit started the inning for the Blue Raiders. The next batter hit the ball to third base and Melissa Verde opted to retire the lead runner. The throw was on the mark, but UL was unable to handle the throw, allowing MT runners on the corners. The runner on first stole second to give Middle Tennessee runners on second and third with no outs. The next batter hit the ball to Verde who alertly threw home to eliminate the lead runner. With one out and runners on second and third, another ground ball to Verde saw the lead batter retired. The Cajuns escaped the inning without allowing a run as a ground ball to Bridges ended the inning.

Louisiana broke the scoreless deadlock with five runs in the bottom of the third inning. With on out, Hubbard collected an infield single. She came around to score on a three-base throwing error by Middle Tennessee that put Verde on third base. On the play, the Blue Raiders committed a second throwing error allowing Verde to score easily. With two outs, Christi Orgeron drew a free pass to continue the inning. Back-to-back home runs by Bowers and Bridges gave the Cajuns a 5-0 cushion.

The Cajuns added a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. A pair of walks sandwiched around a single loaded the bases for Louisiana. A third Blue Raider error scored the lead runner and left the Cajuns with the bases juiced. A single by Orgeron scored the final run of the inning and gave UL a 7-0 advantage after four innings of play.

UL's defense and Bourgeois kept Middle Tennessee off the scoreboard to preserve the shutout victory.

GAME 2 RECAP

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns improved to 3-2 over all in SBC play as they picked up their 20th win of the season in run-rule fashion. The Cajuns won 11-3 in five innings over Middle Tennessee.

The Cajuns pounded out 14 hits in the game including home runs from Bridges and Runyan. Runyan finished the game 3-for-4 with a team-best six RBI, while Bridges was a perfect 3-for-3 with RBI.

Brignac recorded double-digit strikeouts for the third time this season, fanning a dozen Middle Tennessee batters.

The Cajuns jumped out to a quick 8-0 lead after the first two innings of play in game two. The Ragin' Cajuns scored three runs on three hits in the first inning before plating five runs on six hits in the second inning. Runyan's two-RBI single in the first highlighted the inning, while her two-run home run in emphasized the second inning.

Middle Tennessee scored three runs in the top of the third inning. An error by the Cajuns loaded the bases and the Blue Raiders capitalized as a double down the left field line plated three runs and cut the deficit to 8-3.

Louisiana added a run in the bottom of the third inning. Katie Smith singled, stole second base and advanced to third base on a sacrifice hit. She came across home plate on a fielder's choice RBI by Runyan.

UL scored an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth inning as Bridges belted her ninth home run of the season. The Cajuns went on to score a run in the bottom of the fifth inning to secure the 11-3 mercy-rule victory.

The Ragin' Cajuns will conclude the series with Middle Tennessee with a single game on Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.

NOTE: The Ragin' Cajuns series with FIU over the weekend will have two games televised. Game one of the doubleheader on Saturday will begin at 3:00 p.m. and be televised on CST. Game two will be played approximately 30 minutes following the conclusion of the first game. The third and final game of the series will be televised on My KLAF. Game time for Sunday's contest has been changed to 12:00 p.m. (Noon).

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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