MOBILE, Ala. - On the first day of the Sun Belt Conference Championship, Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team picked up a 3-1 win over Middle Tennessee in Mobile, Ala. on Wednesday afternoon.

Middle Tennessee kept things interesting throughout the contest and especially in the top of the seventh. One hit, one error and a ground out put runners on second and third for the Blue Raiders. But senior pitcher Brittany Cuevas fanned the next batter and forced a ground out to seal the win.

The Cajuns now sport a record of 39-16 overall this season while Cuevas picked up her 19th win in the outing. Cuevas retired the first 11 Blue Raiders before surrendering a two-out base hit in the fourth inning. She allowed four hits, no walks and fanned six Blue Raiders on the afternoon.

Cajuns struck first after lead-off batter, Vallie Gaspard, reached second on error to start the game. After moving to third base on a ground out, Gaspard tallied UL's first run on a single to left field by Christi Orgeron.

The Blue Raiders looked to tie the game in the top of the second, but Erikka Murphy robbed Natalie Ysais of a home run to keep the Cajuns ahead, 1-0.

Two hits and another error loaded the bases full of Cajuns to start the second inning. But a line out and a double play ended a prime scoring chance for UL.

Bowers tacked on the Cajuns' second run with a solo home run to left field in the third inning. It was her eighth home run of the season and her fourth against the Blue Raiders this year.

In the top of the fifth, Middle Tennessee was able to cut into UL's lead with a solo home run of its own by Jessi Couch.

UL established some breathing room in the bottom of the fifth. Melissa Verde reached second on a Blue Raiders error. Orgeron moved her over to third on a single. Verde then scored with a base hit up the middle from Gabriele Bridges to take a 3-1 lead. The Cajuns had another opportunity to score after loading the bases with one out but were unable to do so.

The Cajuns scattered seven hits on the afternoon. Orgeron and Ray had two hits each while three other players had one hit each.

The Cajuns will now face the winner of the South Alabama-Florida Atlantic Game tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. CT.



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