The Book: Lady Cajuns softball 2007 Season

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&nbsp;FULLERTON, Calif. - Holly Tankersley's two home runs and the pitching of Brittany Cuevas guided UL's 15th-ranked softball team into the championship semifinals of the Judi Garman Classic Saturday afternoon.

But there was also a key defensive play, one by shortstop Codi Runyan, that helped the Cajuns take a 6-5 victory over Penn State in Saturday's quarterfinal round of the nation's most prestigious mid-season collegiate tournament.

Penn State, the number two seed from its pool, was holding a 5-4 lead and loaded the bases against Cuevas with one out in the top of the sixth when Runyan ran down a sinking line drive behind third base and ran to the bag for an unassisted double play to end the Nittany Lions' threat.

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UL (28-6) took advantage moments later when Melissa Verde singled with one out and Tankersley followed with a tape-measure home run over the right-field wall for the tying and go-ahead runs off Penn State reliever and loser Ashley Esparza (4-6).

Cuevas set Penn State down in order in the top of the seventh to send the Cajuns into today's championship semifinals against fifth-ranked Arizona (20-6) at 10:30 a.m. If UL wins that game, the tournament title game follows at about 2 p.m.

Cuevas (17-3) took her third win of the tournament, allowing eight hits to a Penn State squad that scored single runs in the second and fifth innings and took a 4-3 lead with a three-run fourth inning. Those three scored on Danielle Kinley's solo homer and a two-run homer from PSU starting pitcher Jenn Reynolds.

UL tied the game at four in the bottom of the fourth inning when Verde doubled as part of her four-hit game and Lacey Bertucci followed with a one-out sacrifice fly.

Penn State reclaimed the lead on Esparza's RBI double and threatened more before the inning-ending double play in the sixth set the stage for Tankersley's 10th homer of the season and second of the game.

The first of those homes came in the bottom of the first off Reynolds, when Verde led off with a bloop single and Tankersley took a 2-2 pitch over the center-field wall.

Penn State cut the 2-0 lead in half in the second on singles from Danielle Kinley and Kayce Zielinski before UL rebuilt a two-run lead when Verde singled in the second and eventually scored when Desi Chatman drew a bases-loaded walk.

UL had finished pool play with a perfect 3-0 mark in Pool B, downing Fresno State, second-ranked Arizona State and Notre Dame in Thursday and Friday's action.




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Originally Posted by UL Ragin Cajun

http://fullertontitans.cstv.com/spor.../garman26.html

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What about the Cajuns/Zona game. Are there live stats for it?????

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&nbsp;FULLERTON, Calif. - UL's softball team suffered its first loss in the prestigious Judi Garman Classic Sunday in the championship semifinals, and Sarah Akamine had everything to do with that setback.

The Arizona freshman designated hitter poked two grand-slam home runs - the first two homers of her college career - and provided more than enough offense for the fifth-ranked Wildcats to post a 9-0 victory over the Ragin' Cajuns in the tournament semifinals.

Akamine had her first bases-loaded shot in the third inning to give the Wildcats (21-6) a 5-0 lead over the 15th-ranked Cajuns. She added her second slam in the seventh as insurance, which wasn't needed behind the two-hit pitching of Taryne Mowatt.

The Cajuns (28-7), who had posted wins over Fresno State, second-ranked Arizona State, Notre Dame and Penn State to reach Sunday's semifinals, managed only Codi Runyan's second-inning single and a sixth-inning single by Lacey Bertucci off Mowatt (15-6). Mowatt struck out 14 of the 27 UL batters she faced.

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UL pitcher Brittany Cuevas (17-4) pitched a complete game in only her fourth loss of the season, giving up eight earned runs and fanning eight. Arizona had 10 hits, five of them for extra bases including Akamine's two homers.

Arizona scored once in the first off Cuevas when Kristie Fox's double in the left-center gap plated Caitlin Lowe, who singled to lead off the game. Lowe also led off the third with a double, and Chelsie Mesa had a bunt single and Fox drew a walk before Akamine homered over the left-field wall for the five-run lead.

Cuevas settled down after the homer and retired the next 13 batters she faced, setting down the side in order in the fourth through sixth innings before Lowe's one-out single in the seventh. An error and another walk to Fox set up Akamine with the bases loaded again, and she delivered over the left-center wall.

UL threatened in the second off Mowatt down 1-0 when Runyan singled and reached third on a sacrifice and an infield ground ball, but Mowatt struck out Meagan Godwin and Vallie Gaspard to end the threat. In the sixth, Verde drew a leadoff walk before Bertucci's single, but both were left stranded.

Arizona faced Oklahoma in Sunday's late championship game.

The Cajuns host Southern Mississippi in a 6 p.m. single game Thursday at Lamson Park before returning to Sun Belt Conference play Saturday-Sunday in a three-game home series against Western Kentucky.




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Please don't let that loss overshadow the great things this team has done in California. There were four pools of play with 4 teams in each pool. Only three teams were 3-0 coming out of pool play. The Lady Cajuns were one of them, Arizona was 2-1. The Cajuns beat Fresno State, Arizona State (ranked #2 in the nation last week) and Notre Dame. They also beat Penn State in a quarter-final game to be elligible to play Arizona in the semi-final. Considering that Michigan, Texas, Oklahoma, Washington, Florida State, DePaul, and North Carolina State are top rated teams and were also in the tournament, our ladies did a great job to be one of the best FOUR. Be proud of them. They brought some recognition to the state and to our school. Positive recognition.

There will be a single game Thursday at Cajun Park at 6 p.m. It is against Southern Miss. Be there. They need your support so there will not be a "let down".

This weekend, the Lady Cajuns play WKU in a three game conference set here at home.

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&nbsp; As for the other (Judy Garman) finalists, it's time to start paying attention to the Ragin' Cajuns. Their dismantling at the hands of Mowatt and Akamine aside, the Sun Belt powerhouses continue to prove themselves against a tough nonconference schedule.

Louisiana-Lafayette lost some power from the lineup after last season, but freshman pitcher Brittany Cuevas had been performing brilliantly as the ace before hitting trouble against Arizona.



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ESPN.com
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A few tournaments remain on the schedule, including a good field in Louisville next weekend, but the Judi Garman Classic at host Cal State Fullerton Sunday brought an unofficial close to the weeks of pool play and bracket play at the major nonconference get-togethers.



Jerry Laizure
D.J. Mathis came up big for the Sooners this weekend.And it was a fitting close to a time of year when logic fares about as well as a free-swinging freshman against Monica Abbott.

It started out simply enough in Fullerton. Maybe it wasn't an entirely logical progression, but it left little more than a dull ache at the back of the head.

No. 5 Arizona opened the first full day of the tournament by blanking NC State 2-0. Just before that game got started on one field in Fullerton, Arizona State's Katie Burkhart hurled a perfect game as the No. 4 Sun Devils scored a 3-0 win against Notre Dame. Soon thereafter, No. 7 Michigan beat No. 13 Washington 6-3, handing the Huskies the second of what would become three consecutive losses. Finally, as the first day came to a close, No. 6 Oklahoma knocked off Arizona 6-2.

Still following? Good. Nothing too confusing in all of that, even with a big win for the Sooners and a bad day for the Huskies. But keep the aspirin handy.

Friday, the second full day of play, began with Fresno State upsetting Arizona State. Then Fresno State lost to Notre Dame, the same team that hadn't managed to get a runner on base against Arizona State the day before. Not too long after that, No. 16 Louisiana-Lafayette handed Arizona State its second loss of the day, and NC State, which started all of this by losing to Arizona on Thursday, shut out Oklahoma.

All of which somehow left Penn State and DePaul alive in the championship bracket, while Arizona State, Washington and No. 8 Texas slunk off to the consolation bracket.

And we haven't even gotten to Saturday, when DePaul knocked off Fresno State to move within a win of the championship game, and Penn State, after losing a 6-5 thriller against Louisiana-Lafayette, rebounded to beat conference rival Michigan 5-2.

The crib sheet version of the tournament begins with the Sooners, who rallied from that loss against NC State to beat DePaul and Arizona on Sunday to claim the overall championship. Patty Gasso's team went out in style, getting its second win of the weekend against the Wildcats by an 11-0 margin that included a pair of home runs and six RBIs from Samantha Ricketts.

It's no surprise that the Sooners scored runs, even runs at the expense of the defending national champions, but a five-inning shutout for D.J. Mathis in the finale ought to scare everyone outside of Norman. The Sooners are counting on junior-college transfer Lauren Eckermann (who went the distance in an eight-inning win against DePaul earlier Sunday) to give them just enough of an ace to allow their bats to get the job done. If Mathis turns in a few more performances like Sunday, the Sooners suddenly have a great deal more depth at their supposedly weak spot.

Sarah Akamine took the loss in the circle for Arizona in the championship game, getting the call after Taryne Mowatt threw a gem to beat Louisiana-Lafayette earlier in the day. But if the struggle to find consistent innings behind Mowatt continues, Akamine put on a display with her bat against Lousiana-Lafayette that reminded everyone of what her role was supposed to be on this team, hitting a pair of grand slams and driving in eight runs in the game.

When the season began, Akamine was in the mix for at-bats, but an afterthought in Arizona's pitching plans, expected to fill in when Mowatt and fellow freshman Amanda Williams needed a break. Instead, she's thrown more than 50 innings while registering just 22 at-bats.

Perhaps she can't provide the same kind of production in the circle that Mowatt provided behind Alicia Hollowell last season, but she might be able to bring the same kind of midseason run production to the batting order that Mowatt did as a frequent designated player on the road to the national championship.


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&nbsp; More than anything else, UL's softball team will be looking to regain its homefield magic tonight.

The Ragin' Cajuns (28-8), having moved up in both of this week's national polls, haven't played at Lamson Park since a disappointing pair of losses to Middle Tennessee two weeks ago in a Sun Belt Conference series.

Those were the first two home losses after 13 straight home wins to start the season, and UL will look to start another streak at 6 p.m. today in a single game against Southern Mississippi (10-20).

UL stands 15th in both the USA Today/NFCA and the ESPN.com/USA Softball polls this week, moving up two spots in the NFCA rankings and one in the USA Softball list. Those moves came after going 4-1 in last weekend's Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., a streak that included wins over Fresno State, second-ranked Arizona State, Notre Dame and Penn State.

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UL lost to fifth-ranked Arizona 9-0 in the semifinals, but obviously did enough in pool play and early in the championship bracket to provide a boost heading into a six-game homestand.

"We've said all along that it's about how we play and not about our opponents," said Cajun coach Stefni Lotief. "We played pretty well for most of that tournament, and we're looking forward to getting back home."

Three of those home games come in Sun Belt play, with UL hosting Western Kentucky in a 1 p.m. Saturday doubleheader and an 11:30 a.m. single game Sunday. The Cajuns are in a four-way tie for the Sun Belt lead at 4-2, even with Troy, Middle Tennessee and North Texas.

Junior designated player Holly Tankersley, who earned her fourth Sun Belt Player of the Week honor this week, leads the Cajuns with a .370 average after hitting .400 in the Garman meet. She also turned in a complete-game pitching victory against Notre Dame.

Brittany Cuevas (17-4, 1.91) is expected to get tonight's start against the Golden Eagles, who lost two of three games to South Florida last weekend and were scheduled to meet McNeese State in a Wednesday evening twinbill.




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Tied 4-4 top of 9th

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Originally Posted by Turbine

Tied 4-4 top of 9th

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These girls are putin some stress on the DaddyCajun. I know they are young but this Southern Mississippi team just were swept by McNeese yesterday!

Come on Ladies, you can do it!

DaddyCajun

ps My parents used my tickets tonight and are quickly becoming Lady Cajun fans that go to the games, next I say they get their own season tickets. Just trying to grow the fan base!!!

5-4 Lady Cajuns WIN

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&nbsp;
Verde single springs UL softball in 9th

Melissa Verde's single down the right-field line in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Karli Hubbard from second base and the 15th-ranked UL softball team escaped with a 5-4 win over Southern Mississippi's Golden Eagles Thursday at Lamson Park.

The Cajuns improved to 29-7 heading into a weekend Sun Belt Conference home series against Western Kentucky, thanks to the complete-game pitching effort of Brittany Cuevas.

Cuevas, earning her 18th win, gave up four hits over nine innings and struck out seven USM hitters. However, two of those hits were home runs, the second one coming from Lauren Castellvi in the seventh inning to tie the game at four and force extra innings.

UL pushed across the game-winner against USM reliever Samantha Davis (1-6) when Karli Hubbard singled with one out in the ninth and moved to second when USM left fielder Brandi Alonzo bobbled the hit. Verde stepped in and delivered the game-winner just inside the right-field line.

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Hubbard singled in the second inning and scored on Verde's double to left-center for an early 1-0 lead, and Holly Tankersley's single to center plated Verde one batter later.

Southern Miss (10-23) took the lead with only one swing in the top of the fourth inning. Karissa Jones led off with a walk and Megan Hill reached on an error, and Jennifer Fox followed with a home run to left field for a 3-2 Golden Eagle advantage.

One inning later it was UL's turn with the long ball after a leadoff single by Tankersley. Davis came on to pitch and Lacey Bertucci greeted her with a two-run homer to left field, her seventh of the year, for the Cajuns' 4-3 advantage.

After Castellvi's shot tied the game, USM loaded the bases in the top half of the ninth inning, but Cuevas was able to work out of the jam, striking out USM's Brittney Pigott to end the inning.





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I agree with DC, on paper it should not have been a close game, with USM's record and also getting swept by McNeese.

However, I think it was good that it happened the way it did.

a.) It reminded them that they better bring it for every game, no matter who the opponent is.

b.) It gave them more experience in playing close games and finding a way to hang in there and scratch out a win

Here's to a good series this weekend with WKU.

God Bless

GEAUX UL RAGIN CAJUN SOFTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Sid

I agree with DC, on paper it should not have been a close game, with USM's record and also getting swept by McNeese.

However, I think it was good that it happened the way it did.

a.) It reminded them that they better bring it for every game, no matter who the opponent is.

b.) It gave them more experience in playing close games and finding a way to hang in there and scratch out a win

Here's to a good series this weekend with WKU.

God Bless

GEAUX UL RAGIN CAJUN SOFTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!

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15 freshmen will do that. Fortunately our upper classmen help hold the ship together when we need it.

Also, you dont think people get "geeked" to play the Ladies.??? You bet they do.

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&nbsp; UL's softball team returns to Sun Belt Conference play today, and they'll be facing one of the league's hottest teams.

The 15th-ranked Cajuns, 28-7 overall after holding on for a nine-inning, 5-4 win over Southern Mississippi on Thursday, host Western Kentucky in a three-game weekend series. Today's doubleheader is at 1 p.m. at Lamson Park with a series finale Sunday at 11:30 a.m.

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UL stands at 4-2 in Sun Belt play after an uncharacteristic two home league losses to Middle Tennessee in its last conference outing. Those are the only two home losses this year for the Cajuns, who went 4-1 in the prestigious Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif., since that series.

The Hilltoppers are only 13-15 this season, but WKU has won nine of its last 11 games including taking two of three at Florida International two weeks ago in its lone Sun Belt series this season.

The 'Toppers swept Southeast Missouri in two home games Monday in their last outing.





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Originally Posted by NewsCopy

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Lady Cajuns win doubleheader!

Don't know first score but second game was 10-1 run rule.

Bertucci and Bowers each hit a 2 rbi Home run in the 5th to take the game early.

Record improves to 31-7

First game was won by the score of 3-2.

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Originally Posted by CajunCherokee

First game was won by the score of 3-2.

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Lady Cajuns now 30-7. Turbine, wanna rethink that 40 wins that you guessed at earlier in the season???? LOL!!

I hear Stef has that posted in the dugout. "Turbine said we might win 40 games this year".... It seems to have motivated the young ladies, no?

..O..

Z.

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Originally Posted by Zeebart21

Lady Cajuns now 30-7. Turbine, wanna rethink that 40 wins that you guessed at earlier in the season???? LOL!!

I hear Stef has that posted in the dugout. "Turbine said we might win 40 games this year".... It seems to have motivated the young ladies, no?

..O..

Z.

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Actually... they are 32-7.

Cajuns complete sweep with 2-0 win today. Nicely done!

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&nbsp; UL's softball team will sit back and let the rest of the Sun Belt Conference do battle this weekend.

The Ragin' Cajuns (32-7), figuring to climb from last week's No. 15 ranking in both national polls when they are released today, have the weekend off from league play before playing Sun Belt competition in the last five weekends of the season.

In fact, UL will only see action twice over the next 12 days before getting back into league action at home against Florida International on April 6-7. The Cajuns host Northwestern State in a 4 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday at Lamson Park, and will travel to face McNeese at 6 p.m. next Tuesday in Lake Charles.

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The Cajuns are tied with Troy for first in the Sun Belt standings at 7-2, with Troy hosting Western Kentucky in a three-game weekend series. UL swept WKU, its second straight league series sweep after a 1-2 start, over the past weekend.

UL junior designated player Holly Tankersley enters the week leading the league in hits (45), runs (31), runs batted in (42), home runs (11) and total bases (81). She ranks third in the league with a .378 batting average.





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&nbsp; UL's softball team sits atop the Sun Belt Conference standings one-third of the way through the league season, and that was expected at the start of the season.

The Ragin' Cajuns were picked in the league's preseason poll, and have already swept a road series from a Florida Atlantic team picked to finish second and which picked up three of the nine first-place votes from league coaches.

But since the Sun Belt does not get an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament - that kicks in next year - games outside the league matter just as much for postseason selections as those within conference play.

That's why today's 4 p.m. home doubleheader against Northwestern State is an important one for the Cajuns (32-7), who remained at No. 15 nationally in this week's ESPN.com/USA Softball poll this week.

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After today's twinbill, UL has only three more non-conference games in the regular season, with 15 of the remaining 18 coming in Sun Belt play.

"Every game we play is important for obvious reasons, in trying to get an at-large berth," said Cajun coach Stefni Lotief. "With all the other conferences getting the automatic bids, it makes it a little tougher. But our players are competitive. It matters every time they walk out on the field."

The Cajuns are coming off a three-game conference sweep of Western Kentucky over the weekend, including a 2-0 victory on Sunday in their last outing. UL comes into today's twinbill with a four-game win streak and with wins in 11 of their last 12 outings, the only loss coming to fifth-ranked Arizona in the semifinals of the Judi Garman Classic.

Northwestern (17-17) has also won four straight, and brings in a hot bat and hot arm. Amanda Glenn (9-8) is the reigning Southland Conference pitcher of the week, and senior third baseman Margaret Patterson earned state Hitter of the Week honors from the Louisiana Sports Writers Association this week.

The teams have played once this season in the NSU Invitational in February. UL took a 2-0 win behind the one-hit pitching of freshman Brittany Cuevas, then 9-0 and now 20-4 with a 1.89 ERA.

"They (NSU) had some injuries early on," Lotief said. "They're a little healthier now."

Cuevas and either junior Holly Tankersley (10-3) or freshman Shari Sigur (2-0) figure to split the starts today. Tankersley also leads the team in hitting (.378), homers (11) and runs batted in (42), leading the Sun Belt in the latter two categories.

UL is 17-2 at Lamson Park this season, and today's twinbill wraps up a six-game homestand. The Cajuns have the weekend off from Sun Belt play and will travel to McNeese State on Tuesday in their next outing.




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Less we forget, the Northwestern Demon's head coach is 25 year old Becky McMurtry, a recent UL softball 3rd base All American. It's gonna be a BIG game for Becky. She's making us proud and has been winning. We're going to have to kick it up a notch. The first game is at 4, if you miss it, there will be another around 6. Be there.

I was able to watch the 1st game vs Northwestern (missed the 2nd) In G1 Brittany Cuevas gave up 2 home runs early then totally shut Northwestern down. The final was 6-2

OK you make the call. In a throw back to 1st base was #9# Karli Hubbard ultimately safe or not? Look at where the ball is and note that Karli is sliding hard.

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Originally Posted by Turbine

I was able to watch the 1st game vs Northwestern (missed the 2nd) In G1 Brittany Cuevas gave up 2 home runs early then totally shut Northwestern down. The final was 6-2

OK you make the call. In a throw back to 1st base was #9# Karli Hubbard ultimately safe or not? Look at where the ball is and note that Karli is sliding hard.

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S A F E!!!!!

DaddyCajun

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Originally Posted by DaddyCajun

S A F E!!!!!

DaddyCajun

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Looks like it....
Are the softball and baseball fields rennovated? Looks like they've changed since 2003?

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Looks like it....
Are the softball and baseball fields rennovated? Looks like they've changed since 2003?

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Yeah man, they've changed a bunch!

Z.

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&nbsp; Coaches stress the importance of hitters making adjustments during a game. UL co-head softball coach Michael Lotief credited those adjustments for the Cajuns posting a pair of wins over Northwestern State on Wednesday at Lamson Park.

The Cajuns out-hit the Demons 11-2 in the opening game in rallying for a 6-2 victory, and then changed their focus in the nightcap in a 12-4 run-rule victory.

In the second game, NSU pitcher Michelle Castellano struggled to throw strikes, walking a total of 10 batters, but allowed only two hits through three innings and went into the fourth inning with a 4-3 lead.

In the fourth, though, Holly Tankersley and Lacey Bertucci drew leadoff walks, and Desi Chatman followed with a first-pitch home run over the center-field wall. One inning later, the Cajuns scored six more runs, in part thanks to three more walks.

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"It was at the point where it had to be right over the white for a strike," said Chatman, who finished with five RBIs after drawing a pair of bases-loaded walks. "That's always good for a hitter.

"As the game went on, we adjusted and we were going up there to have good at-bats. We had a lot of those in the second game."

The Cajuns (33-7), winners of six in a row and 13 of their last 14, only had six hits in the nightcap and three were bunt singles, but UL got three of those hits in the fifth inning including a two-run single by Meagan Godwin that also put the winning run at third base. Tara Hamilton's squeeze bunt plated Codi Runyan with the game-ender.

"They were being extra-careful on the middle of our lineup," Lotief said. "But our hitters are very patient and very selective. They get the pitch they want, and when they do they can do something with it."

Northwestern (17-19) led after three innings in both games, the nightcap lead courtesy of homers by Castellano and a three-run shot by Amanda Glenn off UL starter Shari Sigur. Tankersley (11-3) came on to work out of trouble in two shutout innings.

"The times when our pitchers have struggled," Lotief said, "our hitters have picked it up. We've been in a little slump, but our approach at the plate was good tonight."

The Demons played long-ball in the second inning of the opener, with Amanda Jameson and Kelly Corliss both poking solo homers off Cajun starter and winner Brittany Cuevas (21-4). Those were the only two hits allowed by the freshman, who retired 15 of the final 16 batters she faced with only a seventh-inning error marring that streak.

Her 21st win gave her the most by a UL freshman since All-American Brooke Mitchell won 20 games in 2002.

It took the Cajuns a little longer to get to NSU starter Kristen Lindley (1-4), but once they did they rapped out seven hits in a six-run barrage in the fourth and fifth innings. Bertucci had a leadoff homer in the fourth and Vallie Gaspard's one-out single plated Chatman with the tying run in the bottom of the fourth.

One inning later, Tankersley's leadoff single and walks to Bertucci and Chatman set up Runyan's one-hop double to the wall in left field. Lana Bowers' sacrifice fly and an error provided the final two runs.




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