TROY, Ala. - Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns softball team extended their season-long winning streak to 18 games as they completed a doubleheader sweep of Troy on Saturday afternoon at the Trojan Softball Complex.

The Lady Cajuns collected 16 hits in the two games en route to 4-2 and 4-0 victories.

Gabriele Bridges, Vallie Gaspard and Katie Smith each went .500 on the afternoon. Bridges and Gaspard both finished 3-for-6 with Bridges adding a pair of doubles. Gaspard added a pair of walks to lead the team with a .625 on-base percentage on the day.

The Ragin’ Cajuns got wins from Donna Bourgeois and Ashley Brignac Brignac worked 6.0 innings of relief in game one to earn the victory, while Bourgeois started the second game earning the win.

On the day, the pitching staff combined for a 1.00 ERA. The duo fanned 19 total batters and combined for a shutout in game two. The pitcher scattered 13 hits in 14 innings with only just three extra base hits.

GAME ONE RECAP

TROY, Ala.-Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns claimed the first game of a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader against Troy by a score of 4-2. The Cajuns remained perfect when collecting 10 or more hits, improving to 18-0.

Three Cajuns collected multiple hits in the game. Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.), Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) and Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) each collected a pair of hits. Bridges had a pair of doubles and came around to score what would prove to be the go ahead run.

Freshman Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) picked up the win in relief of Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) Brignac fanned 10 batters in 6.0 innings of work. She walked two and surrendered a pair of runs. Bourgeois surrendered two hits in a little over one inning with a walk.

The Cajuns were the first to scratch the scoreboard. In the first inning, Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) reached on a fielder’s choice. She moved to second on a two-out walk by Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas). The duo came around to score as Verde hit a ball down the right field line that was just fair. Both Tankersley and Bowers came around to score to give the Cajuns an early 2-0 lead.

Louisiana added a run in the top of the second inning. Bridges started the inning with a leadoff double to right centerfield. A one-out single by Katie Smith (Ruston, La.) coupled with a throwing error by the Trojans plated Bridges. The speedy Smith tried to come around to score on the play but was called out sliding into home.

The Trojans threatened in the bottom of the second inning. After surrendering a leadoff double, the Cajuns went to their bullpen and brought in Brignac. The freshman hurler ended any possible Troy attack, fanning all three batters she faced in the inning.

Troy responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning. A one out walk and a single gave the Trojans a pair of base runners. A pinch hit bloop single just over the head of shortstop Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.) plated the first run of the game for Troy. A hit batter loaded the bases and the second run of the inning came around on a RBI bases loaded walk. The Cajuns escaped any more damage and held a 3-2 lead.

The Lady Cajuns added a run in the top of the sixth inning. With two outs, Bridges doubled off of the centerfield wall. She moved to third on a bunt single by Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.). Courtney Trahan (Maurice, La.) entered the game to pinch run for Bridges. Trahan came around to score as the Trojans’ third baseman committed her third error of the game. A rundown ended the inning with no more runs, but the Cajuns regained a two-run edge at 4-2.

The two-run edge would prove to be the difference as UL claimed a 4-2 victory.

GAME TWO RECAP

TROY, Ala.-The Ragin’ Cajuns claimed game two with a 4-0 shutout. The Cajuns used a dominant pitching effort by Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) and stellar defense to claim the win.

Bourgeois worked 6.0 innings, scattering seven hits. She worked out of several jams throughout the game and fanned seven batters. The freshman picked up her 13th win of the season in the shutout.

The Cajuns collected six hits in the game with six different batters registering base knocks.

Louisiana missed an opportunity in the first inning. Three walks in the inning failed to generate any runs for the Cajuns as three fly balls ended the inning.

The Cajuns were once again the first team on the scoreboard. In the second inning, Gabriele Bridges (Lafitte, La.) drew a five-pitch walk. A sacrifice bunt attempt was mishandled by the Trojans, allowing Bridges to reach third and left Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.) on first. Katie Smith (Ruston, La.) singled to the shortstop plating Bridges and giving the Cajuns a 1-0 edge.

UL missed a golden opportunity in the fourth inning. For the second time in the game, the Cajuns loaded the bases. With two outs and the bases juiced, the Trojans managed a strikeout to end the inning and the Louisiana threat. Through four innings of play, the Cajuns had stranded seven batters.

The Trojans threatened in the bottom of the fifth. After a strikeout by Bourgeois, a Troy player was hit by a pitch. The runner stole second base as Bourgeois fanned the second batter of the inning. The Ragin’ Cajuns escaped the inning with no runs scored as Hubbard made a diving catch in centerfield robbing the Trojans of extra bases and a run.

The Lady Cajuns gave Bourgeois a cushion to work with as they scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Hubbard reached on a throwing error by the Trojans. A two-out bunt single by Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) gave the Cajuns a pair of base runners. Holly Tankersley (Kirbyville, Texas) doubled to left centerfield. Hubbard scored and Gaspard came around to score easily as the left fielder bobbled the ball. Courtney Trahan (Maurice, La.) entered the game to run for Tankersley and scored on an RBI single up the middle by Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.). A ground ball ended the inning, but not before the Cajuns extended their lead to 4-0.

The Trojans threatened in the bottom of the sixth. A leadoff single started the inning for Troy. The runner stole second base to give the hosts a runner in scoring position. Bourgeois fanned the next batter for the first out. A ground ball towards first base caught the Cajuns off guard. Bridges, who tried to out run the batter to first, flipped the ball to Soto at the last minute a step behind the runner. Alertly, Soto fired the ball home in time to retire the lead runner who tried to score on the play. A double to left field combined with a walk loaded the bases, but Bourgeois escaped with no harm striking out the next batter.

With one runner on in the bottom of the seventh, Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) entered the game to close it out for the Cajuns. A ground ball moved the runner to second for the first out. Brignac fanned the next two batters to preserve the shutout for the Cajuns.

The Lady Cajuns and Trojans will conclude the series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at the Trojan Softball Complex.




RaginCajuns.com

Chris Whitehead