The 16^th ranked Ragin’ Cajuns softball team continued to roll as it posted two lopsided victories on the opening day of the Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational.

UL (7-0) got a one-hit shutout from Christina Hamilton in an 11-0, five inning win over Maine to start the tournament as Nerissa Myers posted a 4-for-4 effort.

The Cajuns got another shutout, this one from Shelbee Rodgers, but Taryn Broussard stole the show in a 19-0 win over Tennessee State.  Broussard hit three home runs with five RBI in the five inning win.

GAME ONE

The Cajuns used 14 hits and their first great freshman outing to shutout Maine 11-0 in UL’s opening game of the Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational.

Christina Hamilton (2-0) was stellar in her second career start, throwing four perfect innings in a five inning, complete game shutout.  The freshman gave up just one hit while striking out eight of the 16 batters she faced.

Nerissa Myers shined at the plate for UL as she went 4-for-4 with a triple, three RBI and three runs scored.  Gabriele Bridges and Christi Orgeron each posted two RBI for the Cajuns.

The Cajuns took advantage of a Maine (0-1) error to plate three runs in the third inning.  Natalie Fernandez led off the inning by advancing to second base on an error by the Black Bears’ first baseman.  After a Katie Smith single put runners on the corners for UL, Nerissa Myers delivered her second hit of the game, this one an RBI single.

Orgeron produced the next RBI as she grounded out with Smith on third base, scoring the Cajuns’ speedy center fielder.  Bridges continued her hot start to 2011 as she laced a single through the left side of the infield score Myers and give the Cajuns a 3-0 lead.

The Cajuns continued to roll as they scored five runs in the fourth inning, all with two outs.  With two runners on and two outs already recorded, Myers recorded the Cajuns first triple of the season, and her third hit of the game, plating both runners. 

UL would then use four consecutive singles to plate three more runs with Erikka Murphy, Bridges and Broussard all picking up single RBIs.

Hamilton gave up her only base runners of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning.  After a little dribbler found a place between Hamilton and Bridges at first base, Hamilton hit the next batter to put two runners on with just one out.

However, the Cajuns defense turned a textbook double play, as Myers fielded the ball from her shortstop position, flipped to Fernandez at second base, who relayed over to Bridges at first base, getting Hamilton and the Cajuns out of any trouble.

The Cajuns would add their final three runs in the fifth inning thanks to three hits and one Maine error.  Once again, all of the Cajuns runs came with two batters already retired.  Brianna Cherry and Orgeron each picked up one RBI while the third run scored thanks to a passed ball.

Hamilton would retire the side in the fifth to close out the Cajuns 11-0, five inning win.

GAME TWO

In their second game of the day, UL got their second shutout from a freshman as they blanked Tennessee State by a final score of 19-0.

The Cajuns got another shutout from a different freshman, Shelbee Rodgers, but the story of the game was Taryn Broussard, who bombed three home runs and posted five RBI.

Rodgers (3-0) went the distance for UL and gave up just two hits in a shutout effort, picking up the win.

The Cajuns got on the board first thanks to a five spot in the second inning which started with a bang.  Bridges and Broussard led the off the frame with two solo shots, on back-to-back pitches. 

A hit by pitch, a walk and a single loaded the bases for Myers who continued her hit parade.  Myers hit a bases clearing double that gave her six RBI on the days.

UL added three more in the third to extend the lead to 8-0.  In the inning Orgeron and Smith each picked an RBI while UL scored the third run on a throwing error.  The Cajuns used two hits and the one error to plate their three runs in the third inning.

The Cajuns added a single run in the fourth inning when Jennifer Martin drew a bases loaded walk.  UL broke the game open in the fifth inning as they plated 10 runs on seven hits.

The inning started with Bridges and Broussard hitting back-to-back home runs for the second time in the game.  After five more runs crossed the plate and the Cajuns went through the line-up, Broussard was at the plate again, this time with two runners on base.

The sophomore proceeded to hit her second home run of the inning, and her third of the game.  Broussard became just the second Cajun to ever hit three home runs in a game, with the first being Bridges last weekend. 

In all, the Cajuns scored 19 runs thanks to 15 hits against the Tigers.

The Cajuns will continue action in the Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational on Saturday when they take on Maine at 12:30 p.m. and Stephen F. Austin at 3:00 p.m.

— Ragin’ Cajuns —