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RUSTON, LA - Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns softball team improved to 3-0 on the year as they held off a late charge by tournament-host Louisiana Tech at the Louisiana Tech Invitational.
Freshman Ashley Brignac (2-0) was once again impressive in her second start of her collegiate career. She struck out 13 of the 30 batters she faced in seven innings allowing three runs – all unearned.
Brignac was helped out offensively by nine hits by the Lady Cajuns batters.
Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) and Jessica Dupont (Alexandria, La.) both collected a pair of hits in the game. Verde had a single and a triple with one RBI, while Dupont collected a pair of singles and two RBI.
In the bottom of the first inning, the Cajuns got into a jam. After striking out the first two batters of the inning, Brignac (River Ridge, La.) worked the count full on the next two batters. The freshman walked two batters in the inning and a stolen base gave Louisiana Tech runners on the corners – the first base runner to reach third base on the Cajuns this season. Brignac responded by striking out the next batter on three pitches.
The Cajuns grabbed the lead in the top of the second inning. With one out, Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.) walked on five pitches and Dupont worked the count full before walking. Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) slapped the first pitch she saw towards third base. The shortstop miss handled the ball allowing Hubbard to reach safely. Brodhead scored on the play, but Dupont was called out trying to advance to third while Hubbard moved to second. With two outs, Katie Smith (Ruston, La.) singled back to the pitcher, but with no one covering the bag, the speedy Smith advanced all the way to second base. A wild pitch plated Hubbard from third and a triple by Verde scored Smith giving UL a 3-0 advantage.
Louisiana doubled their lead in the third inning. Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) singled through the left side and Courtney Trahan entered the game to run for Bridges. A walk gave the Cajuns runners on first and second with one out. Brodhead doubled to left center scoring Trahan from second. A two-RBI single to left field by Dupont increased the Cajuns’ edge to 6-0.
The Ragin’ Cajuns padded their lead with a run in the fourth inning. After a walk was erased by a fielder’s choice, Shari Sigur (Lafayette, La.) entered the game as a pinch runner. Sigur moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.)
UL entered the top of the fifth needing one run for the run-rule to be in effect and were able to pick it up. Brodhead walked to start the inning and Kelly Cormier (Abbeville, La.) entered the game to pinch run. A wild pitch moved Cormier to second base. A pinch-hit double by Meagan Godwin (Bridge City, Texas) plated Cormier and left the Cajuns three outs away from their second consecutive mercy-rule victory over Louisiana Tech.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, Brignac struck out the first batter of the inning. The next batter hit a deep fly ball to right centerfield just out of reach of a diving Adele Files (Erath, La.) for the first hit of the ballgame. A fielding error by the Cajuns gave Louisiana Tech runners at second and third with just one out. Brignac fanned the next batter for the second out. A single through the right side of the infield plated two runners and broke up the shutout, but because of the error neither run was earned. A double off of the left field wall scored another unearned run. A pop up to the shortstop ended the inning, but the damage had been done and the Cajuns’ lead was cut to 8-3.
Brignac rebounded in the bottom of the sixth inning. She struck out the first two batters of the inning and then ended the inning with a dribbler back to the pitcher.
Neither team would score in the seventh inning as the Cajuns improved to 3-0 with the 8-3 win.
The Ragin’ Cajuns return to action after some time off when they travel to Lake Charles, La. to take on in-state rival on Wednesday, Feb. 20. First pitch in the game is slated for 5:00 p.m.
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Chris Whitehead
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