The Sun Belt Regular Season Champion Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns placed five players on the All-Sun Belt Conference Softball team as announced by the conference office during Family Night Tuesday evening at LamsonPark.
Headlining the honorees are outfielder Christi Orgeron and pitcher Ashley Brignac who have been named Sun Belt Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively. The two juniors were also named to the All-Sun Belt First Team along with first baseman Gabriele Bridges.
Catcher Sarah Draheim and shortstop Nerissa Myers were named to the All-Sun Belt Second Team.
The sweep of Player and Pitcher of the Year by the Cajuns marks the ninth time in the Sun Belt's 12 years that UL has accomplished the feat.
Orgeron was named the league's top player after finishing the regular season with the highest RBI total (84) and the highest runs scored total (68) in the nation. Her 20 home runs placed second in the conference in fourth in the nation.
On top of those outstanding numbers, Orgeron also posted a career-high batting average of .410. She was named one of 25 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the highest individual honor awarded in the college softball.
The first team selection is the first of Orgeron's career after twice being named the second team.
Brignac collected her Sun Belt Pitcher of the Year honor, adding to her 2008 award. She led the Cajuns and the Sun Belt with a 27-5 record and a 1.24 ERA, which is actually lower than in 2008 when she helped advance the Cajuns to the NCAA Women's College World Series.
Brignac struck out 212 batters in 192.0 innings of work while giving up just 46 runs. She threw two no-hitters on the season, at McNeeseState (2/26) and at La.-Monroe (5/7).
The first team selection is the second of Brignac's career.
Bridges, the Cajuns lone senior, joins the aforementioned juniors on the All-Sun Belt First Team. Bridges leads the league and is tied for first in the country with 21 home runs. Her 71 RBI place her second in the league and third in the nation. Bridges has pounded three grand slams on the season, tying an NCAA single-season record.
The first team selection is the first of Bridge's career after twice being named to the second team.
The Cajuns placed a couple of sophomores on the All-Sun Belt Second Team in Draheim and Myers.
Draheim started every game behind the plate, holding opponents to a league-low 25 stolen bases in 54 games. She posted a .309 batting average and placed fourth in the league with 48 RBI in her first year as a full-time starter
Myers furthered her reputation as one of the premier shortstops in the nation as she committed just five errors in 54 games for a .968 fielding percentage. The Cajuns' leadoff batter also posted a .360 batting average and a .479 on base percentage, leading her to 66 runs scored, the second highest total in the nation.
The All-Sun Belt honors were the first for the both Draheim and Myers.
The Cajuns and their slew of All-Sun Belt performers will look to capture their 11th Sun Belt Tournament beginning on Wednesday at LamsonPark when the No.1 seeded Cajuns take on No.8 Middle Tennessee at 5:30 p.m.
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