COLLEGE STATION, Texas-No. 18 Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns continued their hot play of late by downing Illinois, 4-1, in the second to last game of the 2008 Aggie Classic.

The Cajuns (15-4) relied on solid pitching and clutch hits to edge the Illini (13-11).

Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) was stellar in the circle for 6.1 innings. Bourgeois scattered eight hits shutting out Illinois for six complete innings. She fanned seven batters while walking just three batters.

Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) entered the game in relief of Bourgeois, looking for the final two outs of the game. Brignac walked the first batter she faced to load the bases, but followed with two strikeouts to end the game and pick up her first career save.

The Cajuns combined for eight total hits, including a pair of home runs.

Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) paced the Cajuns with a pair of extra base hits. The senior recorded her second triple on the year and added the final run of the game with a solo home run.

Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas) provided the other home run for the Cajuns. Her solo shot down the left field line was her third of the season.

The Cajuns broke the scoreless deadlock in the top of the third inning. Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.), who had the only hit of the game for UL, singled to right centerfield with one outs. Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas), the hero of the Texas A&M game for the Cajuns, delivered again with a two-out RBI double to deep centerfield to plate Brodhead and give Louisiana a 1-0 lead.

UL added a run in the top of the fourth inning. Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas) hit a leadoff home run down the left field line that was just fair to push the Cajuns’ advantage to 2-0.

Louisiana increased their lead to 3-0 in the top of the fifth inning. Tankersley hit her second career triple off of the right field wall to give the Cajuns a runner in scoring position with two outs. Verde followed with a base on balls giving UL runners on the corners. The Cajuns inserted a pair of pinch runners as Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) entered the game for Tankersley and Courtney Trahan (Maurice, La.) for Verde. Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) singled to the shortstop to plate Gaspard and give UL a 3-0 edge. In the fifth, the Cajuns loaded the bases, but were unable to score any more runs as the Illinois third baseman snagged a line drive to end the inning.

The Cajuns got an insurance run in the top of the seventh. Tankersley belted her eighth home run of the year and 56th of her career. Tankersley is currently one home run shy of tying Alana Addison (1999-02) for third on the Cajuns career home run list with 57.

The Illini ended the shutout in the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Illinois strung together three consecutive hits to score their only run of the game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns softball team will conclude play in 2008 Aggie Classic presented by HoneyBaked Ham and Café in the final game against Illinois.

RaginCajuns.com

Chris Whitehead