FULLERTON, Calif. – After a slow, sluggish start in a 10-4 loss to Virginia, Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team responded with a 7-5 victory over Fresno State on Thursday at the Judi Garman Classic.

With the split, the No. 23 Cajuns are now 16-8 on the season.

GAME ONE
Five errors proved too much for the Cajuns to overcome as they fell to Virginia, 10-4, during the first game of the day. Eight of UVA’s 10 runs were unearned.

A two-RBI, bases-loaded double by the Cavaliers with two outs in the top of the second inning would swing the scoreboard in their favor, 2-0.

The Cajuns would cut into the 0-2 deficit after putting runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning. Melissa Verde doubled to right center and moved the third on a passed ball. Ashley Ray would then draw a walk to reach first. Courtney Trahan would pinch run for Verde at third and then score on an infield single by Nerissa Myers.

The Cajuns would have a chance to erase the deficit in the bottom of the third. Erikka Murphy would draw a walk followed by a Christi Orgeron single. Gabriele Bridges would the draw a walk to load the bases with no outs. Verde would then drive in two runs after hitting a blooper to shallow left, giving UL a 4-2 lead to end the third inning.

Virginia would reclaim the lead in the fourth inning, thanks to three costly errors by the Cajuns. The Cavaliers would score six run on four hits to take an 8-4 advantage in the top of the frame.

In the top of the seventh, another error by UL would let Virginia score two more runs on two hits.

Verde was the only Cajuns with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Four other Cajuns posted a hit but the Cajuns struck out a total of 11 times.

Virginia’s Melanie Mitchell improved to 9-7 on the season after fanning 11 batters and scattering six hits.

Donna Bourgeois drops to 7-6 with the loss. She threw all seven innings, giving up nine hits. She struck out five and walked just one. Only two of the 10 runs allowed were earned for the right-handed hurler.


GAME TWO
After a tough first game, the Cajuns would respond in the first inning against Fresno State.

Murphy would draw a leadoff walk and move to third on a double by Orgeron. A two-out walk by Britni Soria would load the bases for Lana Bowers. A single up the middle by the senior catcher, would plate one run for UL. Freshman Brianna Cherry, in her first career start, would follow with her first career hit, a two-RBI single up the middle to give the Cajuns a 3-0 lead.

Michelle Moses would chip into UL’s lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning.

But the Cajuns would keep the hits coming in the second, widening their lead to 6-1. Vallie Gaspard and Murphy both led off with back-to-back singles. But a walk by Christi Orgeron would load the bases for Gabriele Bridges. With no outs, Bridges singled up the middle, driving in two more runs. A fielder’s choice by Verde allowed Orgeron to score after an error by the Bulldogs at the plate. Fresno State would call for a pitching change twice during the inning to stop the Cajun’s threat.

Fresno State would plate another run in the third inning on two hits but the Cajuns still held a 6-2 advantage.

A two-out, RBI-single by Bridges would give the Cajuns some breathing room, heading into the bottom of the fifth inning with a 7-2 lead.

Fresno State would make a charge in the sixth inning. A fielder’s choice and a single would put runners on first and second. Michelle Moses would then hit her second home run of the game to draw with in two runs of UL’s lead, 7-5.

But Brittany Cuevas (9-2) would control the next three batters, forcing a ground out, a fly out and a strike out en route to her ninth win of the season. She struck out five and walked one in the complete game victory.

Murphy, Gaspard and Bridges led the way with three hits each.

The Cajuns will face No. 1 Washington tomorrow at 3:45 p.m. PST. The last time the Cajuns faced a top-ranked team was in the 2008 Women’s College World Series. UL was able to upset No. 1 Florida, 3-2, in eight innings.

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