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WACO, Texas - Louisiana?s Lady Cajuns softball team put forth a valiant effort advancing out of the losers? bracket into the championship, but fell short as they dropped a 6-1 decision to tournament-host Baylor in the 2009 NCAA Waco Regional.
The Ragin? Cajuns conclude the season with a 45-13 record, finishing the year in their 19th NCAA Regional appearance in school history and the 11th consecutive appearance in the postseason.
The Cajuns were the first to score, but after tying the game at 1-1, Baylor used a five-run inning to take control of the game.
In the circle for the Cajuns, Ashley Brignac took the loss for UL. The sophomore worked 4.0 innings scattering four hits, but allowed three runs in the loss. She fanned three batters but fell victim to four walks.
Brignac was relieved in the fifth inning by Brittany Cuevas. The junior worked the final 2.0 innings scattering four hits and three runs. Cuevas also struckout three batters and did not allow a walk.
Offensively, the Cajuns had hits from Lana Bowers, Karli Hubbard, and Christi Orgeron. Bowers had an RBI double that scored Orgeron in the second inning. Orgeron also drew a walk to reach base in the game two times.
The Cajuns were the first to score as they broke the scoreless deadlock in the top of the second inning. Orgeron led off the inning with a five-pitch walk. She did not stay on first long, as Bowers followed with an RBI double off of the right center field fence to give UL a 1-0 advantage.
Baylor knotted the score at 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a deep fly ball to center field, the Lady Bears benefited from a five pitch walk by the Cajuns. A single gave the home team a pair of base runners and a second single in the inning tied the score at one apiece. A fielder?s choice left Baylor with runners at first and second with two outs. A single up the middle advanced the runners. The lead runner tried to score from second, but Hubbard threw out the runner at the plate from center field to end the inning.
The run in the fourth inning snapped a streak of 75.2 innings pitched by Brignac without allowing an earned run.
The Lady Bears took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. A high chopped single over Verde?s head led off the inning started the inning and a walk gave BU a pair of base runners. Brittany Cuevas entered the game in relief of Brignac and fanned the first batter she faced. An infield single loaded the bases with one out. A fielder?s choice left Baylor with runners on the corners and two outs, but the go ahead run crossed the plate making the score 2-1. A single through the left side of the infield continued the inning and increased the Lady Bears lead to two. A triple just out of reach of a diving Katie Smith plated two more runs. Another single scored the final run of the inning and saw the Cajuns on the wrong end of a 6-1 score.
The Ragin? Cajuns were unable to score in the final two innings of the game. Baylor advances to face Michigan in the NCAA Super Regional in Ann Arbor, Mich.
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