University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Drake
Cajuns Rebound Against Razorbacks
3/6/2010 1:38:00 AM | Softball
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - After dropping a close 1-2 decision to Drake (8-3) earlier in the day, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team rebounded with a 5-2 over tournament-host Arkansas on Friday night at the Razorback Invitational.
With the split, the Cajuns are now 11-6 on year. Louisiana scattered 17 hits on the afternoon with Christi Orgeron leading the way, going 5-for-7 with four doubles.
Game Two vs. Arkansas
The Cajuns would grab an early 3-0 lead over the Razorbacks in the top of the third inning. Vallie Gaspard and Erikka Murphy would start the inning with back-to-back singles. Melissa Verde would double to left centerfield, scoring Gaspard. Courtney Trahan would come on to run for Verde at second while Murphy would sit at third. A sacrifice fly by Orgeron would plate Murphy. Trahan would move to third on a passed ball and eventually score on a wild pitch.
Louisiana posted another run in the fourth after a throwing error on a base hit by Murphy allowed Gaspard to score from second.
Arkansas would keep things interesting in the bottom of the sixth. Three consecutive base hits would lead to two runs for the Hogs, cutting the Cajuns' lead to 4-2 heading into the seventh inning.
In the top of the seventh inning, Orgeron would post another RBI after doubling to left centerfield, scoring Murphy.
Bourgeois improved to 5-4 after pitching all seven innings, notching seven strikeouts.
Six Cajuns posted a hit in the contest with Murphy going 4-for-4 with two runs. Lana Bowers and Orgeron finished with two hits each.
Game One vs. Drake
UL struggled to put runs on the board in a tough 2-1 loss to Drake (8-3) at the start of the Razorback Invitational. The Cajuns struggled through the first four innings, leaving eight runners on base, five of which were in scoring position. Louisiana would end the game stranding 10 with seven in scoring position.
Drake would break the 0-0 stalemate in the top of the fourth inning, scoring one run on two hits.
But it would not take Louisiana long to make up the difference. Orgeron would lead off the inning with a double down the left line. She would knot the score at 1-1, scoring after a Gabriele Bridges' RBI-single to centerfield.
But a squeeze play in the following inning, allowed Drake to reclaim the lead, 2-1. The Bulldogs were then able to load the bases, thanks in part to a fielding error on the Cajuns.
UL's Brittany Cuevas would fan the next batter and Verde would make a catch in foul territory near the Cajuns' dugout to end the threat.
Britni Soria would reach second base in the bottom of the sixth and eventually move over to second base. But the runner was left stranded and the Cajuns would trail, 2-1, heading into the final inning.
The Bulldogs looked poised to widen their lead in the top of the seventh inning, loading the bases with just one out. But a pop foul ball and a ground out in the infield would squash Drake chances.
Orgeron would give the Cajuns a chance, hitting her third double of the game to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning. But the next three Cajuns would go down on strikes to closeout the game.
Cuevas (6-2) would record the loss, striking out nine and walking just one in seven innings of work.
The Cajuns will face Eastern Illinois and Southern Miss tomorrow. The first game against the Panthers is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CT. The Cajuns will face the Golden Eagles at 3:30 p.m.
