Brittany Cuevas and Donna Bourgeois pitched back-to-back, complete game shutouts as Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team downed Houston on Tuesday evening at Lamson Park. The Cajuns captured the first game 6-0 and posted a 4-0 victory in the nightcap to extend its current winning streak to five games.
The pitching duo combined for 14 strikeouts and just three walks in 14 innings of play.
The Cajuns are now 21-11 on the year and 8-1 while playing at home. Houston falls to 18-16 for the season.
GAME ONE - UL 6, Houston 0
Cajuns scored first in the bottom of the second inning after Kelly Cormier drew a one-out walk with the bases loaded. But UL could not take advantage of the opportunity and the inning ended before more runs could cross the plate.
Houston threatened to tie the game in the top of the third. Ashleigh Jones tried to score from second on a fielder's by Melissa Gregson but was gunned down at the plate after a perfect throw from right field by Lana Bowers.
The Cajuns began to put some distance between themselves and the Cougars in the bottom of the fifth, stretching the lead to 5-0. After a lead-off single and walk, Gabriele Bridges ripped a RBI single to left field. Lana Bowers followed Bridges with a two-RBI single of her own. Nerissa Myers kept it going with another RBI single up the middle.
Erikka Murphy tacked on another run for the Cajuns in the bottom of the sixth inning. She reached first on single and was able to work her way over to third base. A wild pitch by Ballie Lott allowed Murphy to cross the plate.
Cuevas improved to 11-4 with her fourth shutout of the season. In seven innings of work, she struck out six and walked one. Houston was able to scatter six hits off the senior hurler.
Five Cajuns accounted for UL's eight hits. Murphy had a game-high three hits with two runs scored. Lana Bowers finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored.
UH's Bailey Watts was credited with the loss. In six innings, Watts struck out six, walked eight and had one hit-by-pitch.
GAME TWO - UL 4, Houston 0
The Cajuns kept up the intensity in the first inning of the nightcap.
Murphy and Vallie Gaspard started the first inning with a hit and walk. With one out, Bridges cleared the bases with a deep home run to left center field. It was the junior first baseman's 10th of the season.
But things cooled off through the next three innings. The Cajuns would post two hits and leave five runners on base including three in scoring position.
The Cougars had a chance to cut into the Cajuns' lead in the top of the fifth. A single and back-to-back walks would load the bases. But with two outs, Donna Bourgeois would force the Cougars into grounding out to quell the threat.
Nerissa Myers added an extra run for the Cajuns with a two-out, RBI-single in the fifth inning.
Five different Cajuns recorded one hit in the win with Bridges' three-RBI homer leading the way. In her first career start, freshman Jensen Tyldelski went 1-for-2 with a walk.
Bourgeois grabbed her 10th victory of the season after going all seven innings. She fanned eight batters, walked two and allowed just four hits.
Baillie Lott fell to 3-3 on the season after walking five and allowing four runs, three of which were earned.
Next up for the Cajuns will be a seven-game road trip starting in Murfreesboro, Tenn. for a conference series against Middle Tennessee. The series starts on Tues., Apr. 6.

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