HOUSTON - Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns claimed a 6-4 victory over the No. 8 national seed Houston Cougars on Friday night in the first game of the NCAA Super Regionals in front of a record crowd of 1,217 at the Cougar Softball Complex.

The Lady Cajuns (50-12) used a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by a Lana Bowers (Crosby, Texas) three-run homer, to take a lead that they would not relinquish.

Louisiana improved to 23-0 when collecting 10 or more hits in a contest. The Cajuns scored six runs on 10 hits with a pair of home runs. The six runs by the Cajuns were the most allowed on the season by senior and three-time Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Angel Shamblin and the second most allowed in her career.

Bowers and Melissa Verde (Beaumont, Texas) both collected a pair of hits in the game with a home run each. Verde belted a solo shot in the second inning to give the Cajuns their first lead of the game, and Bowers gave the Cajuns the lead for good with her three-run blast in the fifth inning.

In the circle, true freshman Ashley Brignac (River Ridge, La.) worked a complete game 7.0 innings en route to her fifth win of the season over a ranked opponent and her second victory over No. 10 Houston. Brignac scattered six hits in the game, surrendering four runs in the third inning. She fanned eight batters to tie teammate Brittany Cuevas (Brazoria, Texas) for the most strikeouts by a freshman in school history. Cuevas set the record with 303 strikeouts in her rookie season and Brignac matched her efforts in her first season.

The Cajuns plated the first run of the game as Verde continued her hot play of late. The sophomore connected on a 1-1 pitch from Shamblin and drove it over the left centerfield wall for her seventh home run of the season. The homer was the second for Verde in the postseason and only the 13th bomb given up by Shamblin on the season.

Houston took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. The Cougars scored four runs thanks to a grand slam by Jennifer Klinkert. UH loaded the bases thanks to a pair of base hits and a walk; and Klinkert made the Cajuns pay with the grand slam over the centerfield fence.

Trailing 4-1, the Cajuns threatened in the top of the fourth inning. With two outs, the Cajuns collected a pair base hits and loaded the bases with a walk. However, the Cajuns were unable to plate any runners, leaving the Houston with a three-run advantage.

The Cajuns regained the lead in the top of the fifth inning. The Cajuns collected five consecutive base hits including a Bowers home run to plate five runners in the inning and take a 6-4 lead. For Bowers, the three-run homer was the ninth of the season and the 11th of her career.

Louisiana’s defense held the Cougars off the board in the final three innings and Karli Hubbard’s diving catch in the bottom of the seventh inning ended the game and secured the victory for the Cajuns.

The Ragin’ Cajuns and Cougars will square off in game 2 of the NCAA Super Regional on Saturday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. The “if necessary” game will begin after the conclusion of game 2 at 3:00 p.m. The Cajuns will serve as the home team for game 2 and occupy the third base dugout.

RaginCajuns.com

Chris Whitehead