Ashley Brignac no-hit UNLV as the Lady Cajuns won 10-0 in five innings.

FULLERTON, Calif.-No. 16 Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team rebounded from an early morning loss with an impressive 10-0 win over UNLV in mercy-rule fashion an afternoon game at the Judi Garman Classic.

The Cajuns (20-6) were led by freshman pitcher Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.). She threw her second no-hitter of the year, working 5.0 innings allowing just three base runners in the game. Brignac finished the game with 10 strikeouts and just one walk. Brignac set the tone early striking out three of the first four batters she faced. She had a string of eight consecutive batters retired in the game as she earned her 13th victory of the season.

Offensively, the Cajuns collected 13 hits with a trio of doubles and a home run.

Louisiana was led by the bottom of their lineup. The threesome of Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.), Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) and Katie Smith (Ruston, La.) combined for seven hits, six runs and one RBI. Each of the three had multiple hits with Hubbard leading the way with three base knocks.

Hubbard led all Cajuns batters with her three hits and three runs scored.

The Cajuns threatened in the top of the first inning, but left the inning with nothing to show for it. Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) lined a one-out double into right centerfield to get things going for the Cajuns. A Rebel error gave the Cajuns runners on the corners and a walk loaded the bases. However, a strikeout and a fielder’s choice ended the Cajuns threat and left the score knotted at 0-0.

The Cajuns broke the scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning. The bottom of the line up came up big for the Cajuns. Hubbard and Gaspard collected back-to-back hits and advanced to scoring position on a ground out. Tankersley singled through the left side of the infield to score the first run of the game. Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) followed with a single through the right side of the infield to give UL a 2-0 lead.

Louisiana added a pair of runs in the third inning. Jessica Dupont (Alexandria, La.) led off the inning with a walk and was run for by Shari Sigur (Lafayette, La.). An infield single by Hubbard moved Sigur to second base and a groundout gave the Cajuns a pair of runners in scoring position. A snap throw to third base went into the outfield allowing Sigur to score safely from third and Hubbard to move 60-feet from home. An infield single from Smith scored Hubbard and gave the Cajuns a 4-0 lead.

The Cajuns extended their lead in the fourth inning as they scored six runs on six hits. UL used three extra base hits including doubles by Soto and Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas) and a two-run homer by Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.). The bottom of the Cajuns lineup of Hubbard, Gaspard and Smith all had hits in the inning as well. The Cajuns led 10-0 which ended up being the final difference in the game.

The Ragin’ Cajuns will conclude play in the 2008 Judi Garman Classic with a pair of games against top-10 opponents. The Cajuns will take on No. 7 Arizona and No. 6 Michigan.

RaginCajuns.com

Chris Whitehead