Cajuns Complete Sweep of Mean Green

DENTON, Texas-Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team scored 12 runs on 12 hits to post their second run-rule victory in as many days as they downed North Texas 12-3 in five innings at Lovelace Stadium in Denton, Texas.

The Cajuns belted a pair of home runs on the day as Christi Orgeron and Melissa Verde both went yard for Louisiana. Orgeron finished the day 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI, hitting her seventh home run of the year. Verde concluded the day 1-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI as she hit her sixth home run of the year. Verde also added her team-leading 40th walk of the season in the game.

Karli Hubbard, Codi Runyan, Gabriele Bridges and Orgeron each collected multiple hits in the game. Included in the two hits apiece for Runyan and Hubbard were RBI doubles.

Hubbard paced the Cajuns with three RBI, while Verde, Runyan and Orgeron each added two apiece.

In the circle, Donna Bourgeois picked up her 25th win of the season to improve to 25-7 on the year. Bourgeois entered the game in the third inning in relief of Brittany Cuevas. Bourgeois worked 3.0 innings surrendering one run on one hit. She struck out five batters while walking three.

Cuevas pitched the first 2.0 innings allowing a pair of runs on two hits. She struck out three batters but surrendered two walks.

The Mean Green were the first to score as they took a 2-0 lead after one inning of play. The Cajuns surrendered a walk that would prove to be costly as with one out, Jennifer Smith hit a two-run home run over the right center field fence.

The Cajuns chipped away at the NT lead with a run in the top of the second inning. Runyan reached base on a fielding error by North Texas. Courtney Trahan entered to the game to run for Runyan after an Orgeron base hit to left field. A single by Gabriele Bridges loaded the bases for the Cajuns. Lana Bowers followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Trahan from third. With one out and runners on the corners, Louisiana caught a bad break. After Kelly Cormier appeared to have singled to short, the umpire ruled no pitch and claimed that the Cajuns left base early, thus eliminating the UL runner in scoring position. A strikeout ended the inning, but the Ragin' Cajuns had cut the deficit to just one run as they trailed 2-1 after an inning and a half of play.

UL took the lead in the top of the third inning with four runs on three hits. With one out, Vallie Gaspard reached on a bunt single. She moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Hubbard. Verde walked to give UL a pair of base runners. Runyan followed with a double to left center to give the Cajuns their first lead of the game. With a runner on and one out, Orgeron followed with a home run to right center field to give Louisiana a 5-2 lead after two and a half innings of play.

North Texas cut into the Cajuns' lead with a single run in the bottom of the third. Bourgeois entered the game for the Cajuns in relief of Cuevas. NT's Smith hit her second home run of the game to trim the UL lead to 5-3.

The Cajuns added two more insurance runs in the top of the fourth. With one out, Cormier got things started for the Cajuns with a bunt single down the third base line. She advanced to second on a four-pitch walk to Erikka Murphy. The duo advanced on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Gaspard. Cormier advanced home and Murphy to third as Gaspard reached safely because of an error by North Texas. A single by Hubbard scored Murphy and gave the Cajuns a 7-3 advantage.

Louisiana tacked on five runs in the top of the fifth inning on five hits including a Verde home run. Bridges singled to right field to start things off. She moved to second on a deep foul out by Bowers. Jessica Dupont entered the game to pinch hit for the Cajuns and she moved Bridges to third as she flew out at the wall in straight away center field. Murphy singled to right field to score Bridges from third base. Gaspard walked to continue the inning and Murphy and Gaspard came around to score on a Hubbard double to left center field. Verde provided the final margin as she belted her sixth home run of the season to give UL a 12-3 advantage that the Cajuns would not relinquish.

The Ragin' Cajuns softball team will play their final home games of the season on Tuesday, April 28 as they play a doubleheader with Houston. The games are slated to start at 4:00 p.m. Louisiana will honor their three seniors during the doubleheader.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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