LOUISIANA La. — The University of Louisiana LAdy Cajun softball team continued its dominance of the Louisiana Classics, winning the tournament for the seventh consecutive year on Sunday by routing the Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters 11-1.

“Obviously it’s nice to be able to play at home,” UL coach Stefni Lotief said. “It’s always good to win your own tournament. This is a big win for us and for the community.”

Winning pitcher and Classics MVP Holly Tankersley improved to 2-0 on the year for the Cajuns, allowing one earned run on two hits and striking out seven in six innings.

“We knew that we needed to add depth to our pitching staff,” Lotief said. “Holly gives us a good pitcher in the circle and she provides us with a good stick.”

Tankersley showed her ability with the bat, ripping two home runs in a 5-2 morning victory over Northwestern State and adding another to help her own cause against Tech.

She got plenty of run support beginning in the third inning as the Cajuns took a 3-0 lead behind an RBI double from sophomore third baseman Danyele Gomez and a two-run home run from first baseman Lacey Bertucci.

Two innings later, the Cajuns (6-1) extended the lead to 5-0 on an RBI single down the third baseline by Bertucci and a bases-loaded walk to designated player Leslie Pierce, who earlier in the at-bat just missed a grand slam.

“We felt that it was just a matter of time (before they began to hit the ball),” said Lotief, whose team left three runners on base (two in scoring position) in the first two innings.

“It was just a matter of us making some adjustments. These girls are very disciplined at the plate.”

Tankersley lost her shutout with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning when Lady Techsters shortstop Casey Reiff hit a solo home run to left field to cut the deficit to 5-1.

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Eric Narcisse
enarcisse@theadvertiser.com