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Softball: A thrilling finale at Lamson Park – Cajuns Close Regular Season With ULM Weekend Series

UL closes home schedule with 4-3 win over Houston

Brady Aymond • baymond@theadvertiser.com • April 29, 2009 

If Tuesday night ends up being the last game in Lamson Park this season, the UL softball team went out in thrilling fashion. 

The No. 22 Ragin’ Cajuns (36-10) got an insurance run on a Lana Bowers single in the sixth and needed every bit of it as the Houston Cougars (23-22) would not go down quietly in the seventh.

After Bowers ripped a run-scoring single to give UL a 4-2 lead in the sixth, Houston came back to get a run in the top of the seventh on Laurie Wagner’s RBI groundout after Jessica Valis and Elaina Nordstrom had singles to open the inning.

But Brittany Cuevas (5-1) limited the damage to one run as she got Christa Raley to ground out to end the inning and earn the 4-3 win in the circle before 656 at Lamson Park.

"These are the kind of games we need to help us grow," said Cuevas, who scattered nine hits and struck out five batters. "It teaches us the game is going to do what it wants and we have to respond."

Houston’s Baillie Lott suffered the loss after giving up four runs on five hits while fanning five and walking four.

Prior to the game, the Cajuns honored their three senior players – Karli Hubbard, Codi Runyan and Amanda Hill – in a Senior Day ceremony.

"It’s a little bittersweet," Hubbard said. "The good thing is it’s not the last game. We have a month left. It’s always fun to go out in front of the fans.

"I thought I was going to be more emotional, but once you get out here, I know in my mind I’ve given it everything. It’s a little bit easier to stomach knowing that."

And the emotion from pregame carried over into the first inning as the Cajuns jumped out to a 3-0 lead on the Cougars.

Vallie Gaspard got it started as she singled, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a wild pitch.

Melissa Verde followed with a walk and Runyan singled to put runners at first and second.

Christi Orgeron remained red-hot at the plate as she belted an RBI double to the left-field wall for a 2-0 lead.

Runyan came in to score when Bowers grounded into a fielder’s choice at shortstop.

Houston erased the shutout in the fourth inning as Nordstrom ripped a 1-2 pitch from Cuevas into the left-field bleachers to make it a 3-1 Cajuns’ lead.

Houston cut the lead to one run in the sixth as Megan Gregson singled, Haley Valis walked and Angela Spittler hit an RBI single to right field.

The Cajuns got that run back in the bottom half of the sixth as Gabby Bridges drew a two-out walk and scored from first on Bowers’ RBI single in the right-center field gap.

Houston didn’t go down without a fight as Valis led off the seventh with a single before Katie Bush flew out to center for the first out.

Nordstrom followed with a single to put runners at first and third with one out. Wagner got Valis home with an RBI grounder back to Cuevas to make it a 4-3 game.

But Cuevas got Raley to ground back to her for the final out.

"She fought, she trusted her defense – I think she trusted her plan," UL coach Stefni Lotief said. "She got a win, but more importantly she went out there for seven innings and didn’t give in."

UL will now be on the road for the remainder of the season, playing a three-game series at UL Monroe this weekend before next week’s Sun Belt Tournament in Denton, Texas.

"It has gone by fast, especially this year," Runyan said of her five seasons at UL. "It feels like yesterday it was the fall and we were going through the workouts, struggling through the workouts wishing this would hurry up.

"And now it’s here and I wish I would have taken that day a little more precious."