No. 16 Louisiana Splits with No. 9 Houston
HOUSTON, Texas - The Lady Cajuns of Louisiana saw their 18-game winning streak snapped in game one of a doubleheader with No. 9 Houston, but rebounded for a shutout victory over the host Cougars.
The Lady Cajuns (40-11, 17-2 Sun Belt) dropped the first game 2-0 before claiming a 4-0 shutout in game two. The Cajuns have now won 19 of their last 20 games.
Karli Hubbard paced the Cajuns on the night. The junior finished 3-for-7 with a pair of runs scored.
She was followed closely by Vallie Gaspard who finished 2-for-5 with a run scored and a pair of walks.
The Lady Cajuns pitching staff was once again masterful. The duo of Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) and Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) allowed just two runs in 13.0 innings of work, fanning 11 batters. Brignac earned her 10th shutout of the year fanning 10 batters in game two.
GAME TWO RECAP
HOUSTON, Texas-Louisiana rebounded in game two and claimed a 4-0 victory over the No. 9 Houston Cougars. The Cajuns scored a pair of runs in the first and the seventh, while Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) worked a complete game en route to her 10th shutout of the season.
Brignac surrendered four hits in the game, while fanning 10 batters. She did not allow a walk and only a pair of batters advanced past first base.
For the second game in a row, Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) led off the game with a walk. She moved to second base on a single by Karli Hubbard (Lafayette, La.). A groundout moved both runners into scoring position. A fielding error by the Cougars’ second baseman plated both runners. The Cajuns finished the inning with two runs on a pair of hits and two Houston errors.
The Cajuns added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Gaspard had a bunt single. Hubbard followed with a single back to the pitcher, moving Gaspard to second. Vanessa Soto (San Diego, Calif.) walked to load the bases and Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) delivered a two-out single down the left field line to score two runs and give the Cajuns a 4-0 advantage that they would not relinquish.
The Ragin’ Cajuns will return home for the final three games of the regular season. The Cajuns will take on in-state rival and Sun Belt Conference foe ULM on Saturday and Sunday at Lamson Park. Sunday’s game will be broadcast on My KLAF in the Acadiana area and will serve as Senior Day.
The Cajuns will look to remain perfect at home this season. The Cajuns are currently 20-0 on the year at Lamson Park and have only finished the year undefeated at home once in their history. The last time the Cajuns finished the season perfect at home was 1993 when Louisiana finished 22-0 en route to their first ever College World Series appearance.
GAME ONE RECAP
HOUSTON, Texas-Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns saw their 18-game winning streak snapped in the first game of a doubleheader with No. 9 Houston. The Cougars won game one 2-0 and threw a one-hitter against the No. 16 Cajuns.
Freshman pitcher Donna Bourgeois (Lafayette, La.) suffered just her third loss of the season. She worked 6.0 innings allowing just two runs on eight hits. The runs were the first earned runs charged to Bourgeois in 42 innings pitched. She last surrendered an earned run on Apr. 6 at Florida International.
The Lady Cajuns worked out of some trouble early in the first inning. A leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt gave the Cougars a runner in scoring position. A single moved the runner, but Katie Smith (Ruston, La.), who fielded the ball, came up throwing and gunned down the runner at home. A single and a walk loaded the bases for UH, but a ground ball to second ended the inning and the threat.
Houston threatened again in the second inning. After a leadoff strikeout, a single and a walk gave the Cougars a pair of runners. A fielder’s choice eliminated the lead runner, but left Houston with two runners on and two outs. A groundout to second base ended the inning, leaving the score 0-0.
The Lady Cougars were the first to plate a runner. In the bottom of the third inning, Houston’s Elaina Nordstrom hit a solo home run over the left field fence, just out of reach of Smith.
The Lady Cajuns threatened in the top of the fourth. Vallie Gaspard (Maurice, La.) collected Louisiana’s first and only hit of the game. She advanced to second as Karli Hubbard reached on a fielding error by Houston. The two runners failed to advance as a pair of strikeouts and a fly ball ended the inning.
UH added a run in the bottom of the sixth inning. A leadoff walk combined with a double gave the home team a pair of runners in scoring position. A ground ball to short was fielded by Brooke Brodhead (Lafayette, La.). The senior went home with the ball to get the lead runner, but was unable to record the out as the run scored. Brodhead single handedly recorded the first two outs as she snagged a line drive while running to her right. She then stepped on third base to complete the double play. A ground ball to Brodhead ended the inning with no further damage.
RaginCajuns.com
Chris Whitehead
Quote
