The Book 2009 LAdy Cajuns Softball

[HoustonCajun]

_ How do they miss that much school, it seems unfair to them as students. _

Yeah, but we can't have a football playoff system because the players would miss too much school. What a bunch of BS.

[NewsCopy]

  Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns start their Sun Belt Conference Title defense with a three-game weekend series with Western Kentucky on Saturday and Sunday at Alfred and Helen Lamson Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park. The Lady Cajuns and Toppers will play a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon starting at 1:00 p.m. before playing a single game on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

The Cajuns enter the weekend ranked No. 16 according to the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll. UL is ranked 19th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 Poll.

The Cajuns are the defending SBC Champions and preseason favorite to win the conference in 2009. UL finished the 2008 SBC campaign 19-3 en route to their seventh regular season title.

Western Kentucky was the only team in the Sun Belt to win the three-game regular season series against the Cajuns. The Hilltoppers claimed the first game of the series 5-2, before falling to the Cajuns 11-4 in the second game. WKU claimed the series with a 3-2 win in the rubber match of the series.

The Ragin’ Cajuns and Hilltoppers met in the 2008 Sun Belt Conference Tournament for a pair of games. In the opening round, the Cajuns posted an 8-0, six-inning run-rule victory over the Toppers. After downing FIU 8-2, Louisiana took down WKU 3-1 to advance to the SBC Tournament championship game.

Louisiana has a 130-20 (.867) record all-time in the Sun Belt Conference. The Cajuns boast a 63-10 (.863) Sun Belt Conference record at home.

The Cajuns are 7-1 (.875) in Sun Belt Conference season openers. UL’s only loss to open the SBC season came last season as they dropped the first game of the conference season to Western Kentucky. Louisiana is a perfect 5-0 (1.000) when starting Sun Belt play in Lafayette.

After a week of play against tough competition, including three nationally-ranked opponents, two Louisiana softball players were rewarded with Sun Belt Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week honors, respectively. Senior outfielder Karli Hubbard was recognized for her work at the plate while sophomore Ashley Brignac excelled in the circle. The duo was also named LSWA Louisiana Player and Pitcher of the Week.

Scouting the Opposition
WKU continues play this weekend against defending Sun Belt champions, Louisiana in Lafayette, La. The Lady Toppers will take on the Ragin’ Cajuns at 1 p.m. CST and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The Lady Toppers swept Austin Peay in their first home games of the season 8-0 and 4-0. Senior pitcher, Ryan Rogge, was nearly perfect in game one and picked up the second no-hitter of her career and just the fourth in school history while also picking up her 11th win of the season.

UL Press

[UL_Cajuns]

of the series. WKU beat them 1-0.
Not a good way to start off Sunbelt play, but hey it happenned last year.

[RaginCajun2010]

We had two hits.....and 5!! errors

[CajunCharlie]

_ of the series. WKU beat them 1-0.
Not a good way to start off Sunbelt play, but hey it happenned last year. _

The Ladies came back in the 2nd game and won 6-3

[LSUConnMan]

This pretty adequately summed up the entire game....



Unfortunately, the students weren't adequately liquored up until about the 3rd inning of the second game. The fact UL can't even get its students drunk before 5pm on a Saturday is completely unacceptable!

[NewsCopy]

  UL - The Lady Cajuns dropped the first Sun Belt Conference game of the season as they fell 1-0 to Western Kentucky in the first game of a doubleheader.

Neither team faired well offensively, combining for five hits. The Cajuns had two hits with Erikka Murphy collecting her first collegiate triple and Codi Runyan adding a base hit.

Brignac was solid in the circle. Brignac allowed just one earned run in the game, picking up her first loss of the season. She has currently worked 41.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Brignac fanned five batters, while walking just one.

The Lady Cajuns were plagued by errors throughout the first game. Louisiana committed a season-high five errors in the game. Errors led to the only run scored in the game and ultimately cost UL the game.

Western Kentucky threatened in the first inning. Brignac fanned the first batter. A dropped foul ball extended Brooke Reed’s at bat and Reed took advantage by singling to short. A fielder’s choice eliminated the lead runner, but a second Cajun error gave the Toppers runners on the corners. A ground ball to second base ended the inning and the threat.

The Cajuns were in good position to score in the third inning. Murphy led off the inning with her first collegiate triple. A popup and back-to-back shallow fly balls saw Murphy stranded on third and the score deadlocked at 0-0.

The Lady Cajuns worked out of a jam in the sixth inning. A bunt single started off the inning for the Hilltoppers. After an out, a throwing error by gave WKU runners on second and third with just one out. A walk loaded the bases. The Cajuns eliminated the lead runner on a fielder’s choice back to Brignac and escaped without allowing a run with a popup to second base to end the inning.

Western Kentucky scored what would ultimately prove to be the only run of the game in the seventh inning. Back-to-back errors by Louisiana and a hit batter loaded the bases with no outs. A strikeout recorded the first out of the inning, but a fielder’s choice plated the unearned run and gave the Toppers a 1-0 edge.

Gabriele Bridges led off the seventh inning and reached base on a fielding error by WKU. Kelly Cormier entered the game to run for Bridges, but would go no further as a fly ball and a pair of strikeouts ended UL’s comeback.

UL Press

[NewsCopy]

  Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns softball team opened up Sun Belt Conference play with a two-game split with Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers (16-6, 4-1 SBC) claimed the first game 1-0, before the Cajuns (17-6, 1-1 SBC) won game two 6-3 on Saturday afternoon at Alfred and Helen Lamson Lady Cajuns Softball Park.

The Cajuns collected 13 hits on the day, including 11 hits in the second game. Louisiana had four players record double-digit hits on the afternoon as Katie Smith, Karli Hubbard, Melissa Verde and Lana Bowers all had multiple hits in game two.

Smith led the way with three hits, while Bowers finished the second game of the twin bill 2-for-3 with a home run and a double.

UL received a pair of solid efforts in the circle from pitchers Ashley Brignac and Donna Bourgeois. Brignac worked game one, tossing seven innings, surrendering one unearned run on three hits, while striking out five. Bourgeois picked up her 12th win of the season, scattering nine hits in seven innings, allowing three runs and fanning five.

GAME 2 RECAP
The Lady Cajuns rebounded in the second game of the doubleheader downing Western Kentucky, 6-3, to pull even in at 1-1 in Sun Belt Conference play.

The Cajuns scored six runs on 11 hits in the second game, including a pair of extra base hits from Bowers.

Bowers finished the game 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, two RBI and a run scored. The home run was her first of the season and the 12th of her career.

Smith led all Cajuns’ players with three hits and two runs scored in the nightcap. Hubbard and Verde each added a pair of base hits and an RBI apiece.

The Cajuns jumped out to a quick lead in the second game of the twin bill. Smith reached safely with her 27th hit of the season, and a throwing error by WKU put the speedster on third base. A RBI single by Hubbard through the left side of the infield put the Cajuns ahead, 1-0.

In the second inning, Louisiana increased their advantage to 2-0. Bowers lifted a 1-0 pitch over the left center field fence. The home run was her first of the season and the 12th of her career.

Louisiana added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Melissa Verde singled through the left side of the infield. Runyan followed with a single up the middle. Courtney Trahan entered the game to run for Verde. Gabriele Bridges reached base on a fielder’s choice, but Trahan slid under the tag attempting to get the lead runner, leaving UL with the bases loaded. Ashley Ray came in to run for Runyan. A walk by Christi Orgeron scored Trahan from third and left the bases loaded. Jessica Dupont recorded a pinch-hit walk to score Ray from third and increase the Cajuns’ lead to 4-0 after four innings.

In the fourth inning, the Cajuns added an insurance run. Smith and Hubbard recorded back-to-back bunt singles to give the Lady Cajuns a pair of base runners. A well hit single to center field by Verde was enough to score Smith from second base and give the Cajuns a 5-0 lead after four innings of play.

Western Kentucky added a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Toppers used three base hits and a fielder’s choice to plate two runners and cut the Cajuns’ lead to 5-2.

UL added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning and surrendered a run in the seventh to provide the final margin of 6-3.

The Lady Cajuns and Hilltoppers will play the final game of the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Lamson Park.

UL Press

[NewsCopy]

  Western Kentucky coach Tyra Perry isn't quite ready to say the Hilltoppers have UL's number just yet.

But the Hilltoppers are obviously a lot closer than the other Sun Belt teams.

For the second straight year, WKU took a three-game series against the Cajuns, taking advantage of two critical Cajun errors in the ninth inning to beat UL 1-0 on Sunday to improve to 17-6 overall and 5-1 in Sun Belt Conference play.

Since Sun Belt softball started in 2001, the Cajuns (17-7, 1-2) have lost only four SBC series in 41 chances.

The rest of the story

Brady Aymond • baymond@theadvertiser.com • March 23, 2009

[ulforlife]

errors errors errors! wow, there goes any possible decent seed in the tournament

[ALL DAY]

Errors and lack of hitting! Wow I remember some early season threads pointing out these exact problems on the team...

[ALL DAY]

Oh yeah and maybe the same man who coaches the pitchers should start coaching the hitters ( not naming any names but the last name isn't Lotief or Malveaux ).... Since we are pitching so well!