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TROY, Ala. - Florida International built a reputation as a power-hitting team this season, ranking among the nation's top 10 in home runs per game.
Top-seeded UL showed it can also hit the long ball on Thursday, and third baseman Melissa Verde led the way. Verde was one of three Ragin' Cajuns to homer in an 8-2 win over No. 4 seed FIU in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at Troy Softball Complex.
The sophomore went 2-for-3 with a game-high five RBIs. She smacked a two-run blast with two outs in the fourth inning to break a 1-1 tie before drilling a three-run double in the fifth.
<center><p><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080509/SPORTS/805090323/1006" target="_blank">The rest of the story</a>
Joshua Parrott •
jparrott@theadvertiser.com • May 9, 2008
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Vanessa Soto and Gabriele Bridges added solo homers, but Verde was the story of the night as the 16th-ranked Cajuns (44-12) moved on to play today's winner of FIU-Western Kentucky at 5:30 p.m. today. The Texas native has played the last half of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
"It's huge for us for Verde to step up through her injury and play like she's been playing," Soto said. "It speaks a lot of her character to go out there and work through the pain.
"She earns a lot of respect from her teammates for doing that."
After hurting her knee on March 20 in an exhibition game against Team USA, she went 14 games without an at-bat before returning to the lineup.
She struggled at first in her return to the field. A bulky brace limited her mobility in the field, but she still provided great defense at third. She could not generate power from her lower body because of the injury, so she tweaked her swing.
Verde admits she's not sure where her power is coming with a torn ACL, which when healthy restrains excessive forward motion and inward twisting or rotation of the knee. She just knows the changes she's made - with the help of UL co-coach Michael Lotief - are starting to pay off.
"Coach Mike just helped me make some minor adjustments to my swing," said Verde, who was a first team all-conference selection last year. "He's helped me work through it.
"I don't want to say I'm back, but I'm finally feeling comfortable when I'm swinging."
UL starter Ashley Brignac looked comfortable throwing the ball. The freshman, named the Sun Belt's pitcher of the year earlier in the week, scattered three hits in seven innings. She allowed two runs - one earned - and struck out 10 batters with no walks. It marked the 15th time this season she had a double-digit total as she got her second win of the tournament and improved to 26-6.
FIU (29-33) scored its runs on Desiree Fink's RBI double in the third and Monique White's solo homer in the seventh.
"I thought we hit the ball hard a lot," said FIU coach Beth McClendon, named the Sun Belt's coach of the year earlier in the week. "We just hit it right at people. As much as we'd like to make it all about us, I think you have to give some credit to the pitcher.
"She threw a great game and did a great job. She's very talented."
Soto's solo blast off FIU starter Holly Satterfield in the first gave the Cajuns a 1-0 lead before Fink tied it up 1-1 in the third.
Enter Verde.
After Sun Belt player of the year Holly Tankersley hit a two-out single up the middle, Verde followed with a two-run bomb to make it 3-1.
In the fifth, Verde's three-run double extended UL's lead to 6-1. Lana Bowers followed with an RBI single later in the inning before Bridges led off the sixth with a homer to center field.
Satterfield took the loss after giving up eight runs and 10 hits. She fell to 10-9 on the year.
"We expect them to hit all the time," McClendon said of the Cajuns. "They've proved to be the best offense in the conference. I think they can (hit homers) any time they choose to do that. They're an offense that deserves respect, and we try to give that to them and pitch accordingly.
"They're tough out one through nine."
Verde said it was just her time to shine on Thursday.
"It's always someone different stepping up and leading us," she said. "It's just great to get support and have people not giving up on you when things are going tough."
Verde flashed a bright smile throughout her post-game interview. It's easy to know why given all the adversity she's faced - and overcome - this season.
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