Cajuns Take Road Series Against Troy, Win 9-1

Contact: Cory Weigel

Box Score

TROY, Ala. -- The Louisiana softball team took the finale of the three game series against Troy on Sunday, winning 9-1 in five innings at the Troy Softball Complex in Troy, Ala.

The eighth ranked Cajuns (30-1, 5-1) captured two wins in the series, including a 9-1 victory in the nightcap of the double header on Saturday, while the Trojans (20-9, 2-4) took the first game of the set, 9-4.

Jordan Wallace (16-0) started for the second straight game and continued to impress in her freshman campaign. The Weatherford, Texas native tossed all five innings, while allowing one run, on five hits and fanned four.

Christi Orgeron smacked her team-leading 12^th homerun and drove in three runs. The senior is the first player in the country to reach 60 RBI this season.

Nerissa Myers also went deep for UL, homering for the seventh time this year, while scoring three runs in a 2-for-2 effort from the plate.

Brianna Cherry knocked in two runs and Natalie Fernandez posted one RBI, while Sarah Draheim and Katie Smith recorded two hits to round out the Cajuns' top performers.

“Our mindset was to just stay together and fight and battle every pitch,” co-head coach Michael Lotief said. “Our conference is a dog fight and being on the road provides an even greater challenge, but I think our kids overall did a great job of competing and trusting each other. I think we learned some things about ourselves that will help us get better down the road.”

With one out in the top of the first, Nerissa Myers homered for the second consecutive game as the junior put UL on top, 1-0, launching a 3-2 offering from Ashley Rainey over the center field wall.

Wallace allowed a two out single to Nikki Hollett but struck out her second Trojan hitter of the inning to complete the opening frame.

The Ragin' Cajuns were retired in order in the second on just 10 pitches by Rainey.

Troy's second baseman Sarah Shields doubled to right center with one out in the bottom half, but Wallace struck out the following hitter and received some defensive help from Brianna Cherry as the junior reached up and robbed a homerun from Rainey for the third out.

Louisiana started another one of their patented two out rally's in the third, with Katie Smith reaching on a drag bunt and Myers was plunked by a pitch to give Orgeron an opportunity to add to her RBI total. The New Orleans, La. native took a 1-1 pitch the other way over the right field fence for a three-run shot, giving UL a 4-0 advantage.

Wallace needed just eight pitches to send Troy down in order in their half of the third, striking out one in the process as the game headed to the fourth.

The Cajuns were held without a run in the top of the fourth as the Trojans came to the plate eyeing a four run deficit.

Wallace recorded the first out of the inning on a fly out to left before allowing a solo shot to Hayden Gann, her second of the series, cutting the UL lead to 4-1. The freshman hurler found herself in a two out jam with Trojans on the corners but induced Rainey into fouling out to end the frame.

Smith doubled to lead off the fifth, while Myers singled and Orgeron was intentionally walked to load the bases with no outs. Matte Haack struck out on a full count pitch for the first out to bring Cherry to the dish. Smith would come into score on a passed ball before the junior brought the rest of the crew in on a single to right center for a 7-1 lead.

Louisiana continued to do damage in the fifth as Sarah Draheim singled and Megan Granger walked for a bases loaded opportunity for Natalie Fernandez. The sophomore chopped a single into left field, between short and third, scoring Cherry for their eighth run of the contest. Draheim would cross the plate due to an error by the shortstop on a Smith grounder for the 9-1 lead.

Wallace surrendered a one out double to Hannah Renn but sent down the next two Trojans to take the rubber match of the series by rule of the mercy rule.

UL will take 10 days off before returning to the field on April 4, as they travel to Lake Charles, La. to face in state rival McNeese State. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

Like the Ragin' Cajuns softball fan page on facebook to access more information and receive updated information on the team.

--Ragin' Cajuns--

Cajuns Take Road Series Against Troy, Win 9-1

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