Cajuns Capture Invitational Title After 5-0 Weekend

Contact: Cory Weigel
Box Score: UL vs. Texas A&M - Corpus Christi
Box Score: UL vs. Stephen F. Austin

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Louisiana softball team was named champions of the 2012 Ragin' Cajuns Invitational after finishing the weekend 5-0, sweeping the double-header games on Sunday.

UL (17-0) topped Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (4-10), 19-1 in the opener - a team that played the Cajuns to a tough 3-0 defeat on Friday. Louisiana completed the sweep with a victory over Stephen F. Austin (7-14), 14-3.

The Ragin' Cajuns combined for 32 hits on the day, while allowing just nine to their opponents.

Nerissa Myers had herself another big afternoon, going 7-for-9, scoring seven runs and driving in two. Matte Haack was 3-of-6 on the day with a homerun, five RBI and five runs scored.

Christi Orgeron was 3-for-3 in game one with five runs driven in and crossed the plate three times. Paige Cormier hit her team-leading seventh homerun and had four RBI in the contest, while Natalie Fernandez was a perfect 4-for-4 from the plate with three runs batted in.

Brianna Cherry was responsible for nearly half of the Cajun's offense in game two as she was 3-or-4 with six RBI.

Shelbee Rodgers (2-0) earned her second win in as many days in the game one win. Rodgers threw three innings, while allowing two hits and striking out two.

Jordan Wallace (7-0) pitched five frames in the second contest, surrendering three earned runs and fanned four batters to stay perfect on the year.

Myers and Haack were named Co-MVP's of the tournament, while Orgeron, Cherry, and Brignac joined them on the All-Tournament Team.

Myers led the Invitational with 13 hits on her way to a .619 batting average. The junior had the highlight of the weekend with a two-out go ahead three-run blast in the seventh inning against Kentucky, to give the Cajuns a 5-4 victory over the Wildcats. The shortstop recorded nine runs, seven RBI, .952 slugging percentage, .652 on base percentage and was a perfect 4-of-4 in stolen bases.

Haack posted two homeruns in the five games, giving her four on the year. Haack led the team with ten runs, nine RBI, 1.188 slugging percentage and was second on the squad with an on base percentage of .667. The junior was second on the team with nine hits, including four doubles and had a .563 batting average.

Cherry finished the weekend batting .412 and drove in seven runs. She recorded six RBI in the final game against Stephen F. Austin, the most of any player in a game over the weekend. The junior also had a slugging percentage of .588 and a .524 slugging percentage.

Orgeron tallied seven hits in the tournament on her way to a .389 batting average. The senior had three doubles to her credit and drove in six runs in five games. She finished with a .556 slugging percentage and reached base at a .500 rate.

Brignac was 1-0 over the weekend with one complete game and a shutout. The senior hurled 14 innings, while allowing nine hits, three earned runs and struck out a tournament-high 15 hitters.

GAME ONE

UL cracked for a season-high 10 runs in the first inning as the Cajuns recorded seven hits in the frame. Katie Smith and Myers reached base to begin the game and were brought around to score on a double to center field by Orgeron. The next batter, Haack, drew a walk and Cormier lined a single to left to score Orgeron, giving Louisiana a 3-0 lead.

Cherry reached on a base on balls to load the bases as Sarah Draheim hit a sacrifice fly to score Haack. Granger was credited with an infield single to pack the bases once again for Fernandez, who scored Cormier on an RBI infield single, and Cherry came around to score on a throwing error during the play for a 6-0 advantage.

Orgeron tallied two more RBI in the opening inning on a single to left field, bringing Smith and Fernandez around to score. Haack completed the frame with a two-run double to right center, scoring Orgeron and Myers.

Myers led off the third inning with a single and stole second to get into scoring position for Orgeron. The New Orleans native doubled to left center on a 2-2 pitch, giving UL a 11-0 lead. Cormier stepped to the plate two batters later and launched her seventh homerun of the year to left field.

Louisiana scored five more runs in the fourth, including a Megan Granger two RBI triple on their way to a 19-1 victory.

GAME TWO

Once again the Cajuns took an early lead as Orgeron hit a two-out double, setting up Haack who homered on a 3-1 pitch to left center, giving UL a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

Louisiana added a run in the third as Myers led off the inning with a single, stole second and advance to third on a groundout form Orgeron. Myers came scored on the next play as Haack doubled to right center, upping the lead to three runs.

Wallace kept the SFA bats quiet not allowing a hit through the first four innings of play.

UL added three more runs in the fifth as the Cajuns loaded the bases with Myers, Cormier and Haack aboard. Myers scored on a passed ball and Cherry tripled down the right field line to plate Cormier and Haack.

Stephen F. Austin responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run RBI double down the left field line from Elizabeth Arana, cutting the UL lead to 6-2.

Louisiana tacked on four more runs in the next frame as Cherry produced a three run double to left center, scoring Cormier, Haack and Orgeron.

The Ragin' Cajuns put the game out of reach, adding four runs in the seventh as they ran away with a 14-3 victory.

Louisiana will return to action on Wednesday as they travel west to face Houston in a double-header starting at 4:00 p.m.

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2012 Ragin' Cajuns Invitational All-Tournament Team
Co-MVP – Nerissa Myers (Louisiana)
Co-MVP – Matte Haack (Louisiana)
Christi Orgeron (Louisiana)
Brianna Cherry (Louisiana)
Ashley Brignac (Louisiana)
Joiner Griffin (Kentucky)
Kara Dill (Kentucky)
Chanda Bell (Kentucky)
Elizabeth Arana (Stephen F. Austin)
Linda Linares (Stephen F. Austin)
Mickayla Heller (Texas A&M – Corpus Christi)
Meagan McKinney (Texas A&M – Corpus Christi)

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Cajuns Capture Invitational Title After 5-0 Weekend

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