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&OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.-Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns and the Texas A&M Aggies met twice this season with a pair of epic battles to their credit. Each of the games was decided by one run. The rematch between the two teams in the Women’s College World Series was no different. Texas A&M took advantage of a late Ragin’ Cajuns error in the seventh inning to score the go ahead run and edge UL 2-1.
The loss drops Louisiana to 52-14 on the year, while the Aggies improved to 56-7.
The Cajuns were involved in a pitcher’s duel from the first pitch. Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) turned in a courageous effort and went toe-to-toe with All-American Megan Gibson.
Brignac worked a complete game 7.0 innings, tossing 144 pitches. The effort was on the heels of a nearly 200-pitch performance the afternoon before. Brignac allowed two runs with only one earned run. She scattered five hits, fanning four batters with just one free p_____ The freshman had strings of at least five batters retired in a row.
Gibson’s numbers were almost identical as the senior allowed one run on four hits. She recorded six strikeouts while walking a pair of Cajuns batters.
There were no extra base hits between the two teams as both pitchers relied on solid defense to hold batters to singles.
Four different Cajuns batters collected the hits in the game for UL. Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas), Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.), Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) and Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) each collected base hits in the contest. Gaspard scored the only run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.).
The Aggies threatened in the top of the second inning. An error allowed the first base runner of the inning, but Brignac followed with her first strikeout of the game. A single by Jami Lobpries moved the runner to third and she moved to second on the throw to third. With two runners in scoring position and just one out, Brignac fanned the next batter and induced a fly ball to right field to end the inning and leave the game knotted at 0-0.
Texas A&M broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning. Jamie Henshaw began the inning with a bunt single that traveled about six inches. Holly Ridley followed with a single to centerfield to give the Aggies runners on the corners. Brignac fanned the next batter for the first out of the inning. A fly ball to left field by Lobpries was deep enough to plate the runner and give TAMU a 1-0 lead.
The Cajuns threatened in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Bowers collected the Cajuns first hit of the ball game. Bowers moved into scoring position as Brodhead followed with a single to left field. However, the Cajuns would not advance past second base as a fielder’s choice and a ground out end the inning.
Louisiana tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning. Gaspard led off the inning with a bunt single back towards Gibson. A one-out walk to Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) gave the Cajuns a pair of base runners. Courtney Trahan (Maurice, La.) entered the game to pinch run. Both runners advanced as Verde singled to load the bases. Kelly Cormier (Abbeville, La.) pinch ran for Verde. Bridges hit her first collegiate sacrifice fly to plate Gaspard from third and tie the score at 1-1.
The Aggies got the run back in the top of the seventh inning. A single by Lobpries gave Texas A&M a base runner. The Cajuns retired the next two batters in order, but Lobpries stole second and advanced to third on an error by UL. A single by Rhiannon Kliesing plated the runner and saw the Cajuns on the wrong end of a 2-1 score.
Louisiana’s final attempt in the bottom of the seventh inning fell short as the Aggies retired the Cajuns in order.
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Chris Whitehead
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