University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Purdue
Cajuns Drop Decision To Purdue, 7-14
3/21/2010 2:31:00 AM | Softball
Miscues and missed opportunities plagued the Cajuns after committing three errors on the afternoon and stranding 11 runners on base, seven of which were in scoring position.
The Cajuns now sit at 16-10 for the season. Purdue improves to 11-14.
The Cajuns hit the ground running in the first inning. Christi Orgeron got it going with a two-out single to left field. Orgeron would move to second on an illegal pitch and on to third after a dropped third strike and an error allowed Britni Soria to take first base. Gabriele Bridges would score both with a double down the right field line.
Purdue would knot the score at 2-2 after the first inning. Two costly errors by the Cajuns and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. A fielder's choice and a base hit would plate two runs for the Boilermakers, before the Cajuns would get out of the jam.
But UL would keep the runs coming in the top of the second to take a 5-2 lead. Ashley Ray would lead off with a walk and move to second on a single by Nerissa Myers. Ray then scored on another Purdue error after Vallie Gaspard beat out a throw to first. Myers and Gaspard would score after Orgeron lined one to right field.
Yet the 5-2 lead would not last long as Purdue would hit back-to-back home runs. Liane Horiuchi hit a three-shot and Molly Garst posted a solo home run to claim the lead 6-5.
Purdue would plate another run in the third inning on one hit to grab a 7-5 advantage.
The Cajuns looked poised to retake the lead in the fourth after loading the bases with two outs. Back-to-back walks and a hit by pitch gave Lana Bowers an opportunity to chip away at the Bolimaker's lead. But a fielder's choice out at third dashed the Cajuns chances.
The Boilermakers would score another run on two hits and one error to take an 8-5 lead into the fifth inning.
The Cajuns would start to make some headway in the fifth, closing to within one run of Purdue, 7-8. Myers would reach second on error, moving to third on an illegal pitch. A ground out would let Myers score and Gaspard would score from third on an illegal pitch after reaching base with a walk, taking second on the illegal pitched that allowed Myers to score.
Purdue widened the lead back to 11-7 after scoring three runs on three hits, including two doubles, in the bottom of the fifth.
The Boilermakers would not let up as Horiuchi had her second three-run home run in the sixth inning.
Orgeron went 2-for-2 in the losing effort as the Cajuns scattered six hits on the afternoon.
Donna Bourgeois record the loss, drawing her to 7-7 this season. She struggled through six innings, walking seven while striking out just one. Purdue posted a career-high 15 hits against Bourgeois.
Louisiana will wrap up the Judi Garman Classic tomorrow morning at 11:15 a.m. PST against tournament host, Cal State Fullerton.
