Lady Cajuns rage to 15-0 victory

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UL - Louisiana’s softball team collected 14 hits including three home runs to pound Mississippi Valley State, 15-0, in the first game of the 2008 Louisiana Classics softball Tournament. The Lady Cajuns (5-0) scored in four of five innings including three frames of three-runs or more. Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) led all Cajuns players with three hits. The freshman belted her first collegiate home run and also doubled in the game. Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas), Katie Smith (Ruston, La.) and Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) all had multiple hits on the night for UL and Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) and Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) both added homers on the night. With the offense clicking on all cylinders, Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) closed the door on any chance of a Devilette offensive attack. The freshman hurler worked 4.0 innings of scoreless softball. She surrendered just one hit, walking one and striking out two. Bourgeois was relieved by Amanda Hill (Tomball, Texas), who worked a scoreless fifth inning. The Cajuns wasted little time scratching the scoreboard. In the first inning, Verde led off the game with a five-pitch walk. Tankersley but a good swing on a pitch and lifted the ball over the bleachers behind centerfield for her 50th career home run. The Cajuns added another run in the first inning as Jessica Dupont (Alexandria, La.) grounded out with a runner on third base to give UL a first inning lead of 3-0. The Cajuns extended their lead in the second inning. Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) led off the inning with a walk, and moved to second on a bunt-single by Smith. Verde reached on a fielder’s choice that eliminated the lead runner. A Tankersley walk loaded the bases. With the bases juiced, Soto hit a ball back to the pitcher, but when the Devilette hurler threw to the plate to prevent the run from scoring; her throw pulled the catcher off of the plate allowing Smith to score on the error. The Cajuns added two more runs as Bowers singled down the left field line. After an inning and a half, UL led 7-0. The Cajuns added a run in the third inning as Bridges hit her first collegiate home run. The towering shot to deep left centerfield gave the Cajuns’ 8-0 edge. UL broke the game wide open in the fourth inning scoring a season-high seven runs on eight hits. The inning started with a Soto single to left field. Brodhead singled to the shortstop to give Louisiana a pair of base runners. Dupont singled to centerfield to load the bases for the Cajuns. Bridges cleared the bases with a double to right centerfield. A ground out and a single gave the Cajuns runners on the corners for Verde who belted her second home run in as many games. A Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) combined with a Soto double plated the final run of the inning for UL. The Cajuns would fail to score in the fifth and final inning of the contest, but won handedly, 15-0. The Ragin’ Cajuns will continue play in the 22nd Annual Louisiana Classics on Saturday afternoon with a pair of games starting at 1:30 p.m. against Southern Miss and concluding with a 4:00 p.m. game with Mississippi Valley State. The Louisiana Classics Tournament will officially kick off at 11:00 a.m. with a game featuring Mississippi Valley State and Southern Miss. RaginCajuns.com Chris Whitehead

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