Softball: Cajuns Upend #2 Arizona State at Judi Garman Classic

Matt Hebert, Sports Information –  

FULLERTON, Calif. – The 17^th-ranked Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns faced the #2 ranked Arizona State Sun Devils in their second pool play game of the prestigious Judi Garman Classic on Friday evening and came away with a hard fought 2-0 victory in eight innings. 

With the win UL improves to 26-6 overall and Arizona State drops to 28-4.  Arizona State finishes pool play with a 1-2 record and the Cajuns are 2-0 with a game remaining against Notre Dame later on Friday night.

The game featured the two best pitching staffs in the 16 team field, statistically, with UL’s freshman standout Brittany Cuevas (15-3), and Arizona State’s Katie Burkhart (12-2) facing off in the pitching circle.

Pitching dominated the contest through the first seven innings as both teams combined for three hits. 

For the Cajuns, Holly Tankersley singled in the first and Melissa Verde singled in the sixth.  Arizona State’s C.J. Carlson tripled in fourth inning for the Sun Devil’s only hit through the first seven innings.

In the top half of the eighth inning, with the International Tie-Breaker rule coming into effect, the Cajuns started the inning with Karli Hubbard at second base. 

With one out Tankersley singled to center driving Hubbard in from second base and UL led 1-0.  Tankersley advanced to second on an error by Sun Devil centerfielder Kaitlin Cochran.  Desi Chatman followed with an RBI double down the right field line and the Cajuns led 2-0.

Arizona State loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Cuevas forced Cochran into a ground out to second base to end the game and complete the Cajuns 2-0 win over the Sun Devils.

Cuevas pitched a complete game for the victory, giving up only two Sun Devil hits and striking out 12.  Cuevas is now 16-3 on the season.  Burkhart also pitched a complete game for Arizona State scattering four Cajun hits over eight innings.  Burkhart drops to 12-2 overall.

LINE SCORE

#17 Louisiana-Lafayette 2, #2 Arizona State 0 (Mar 16, 2007 at Fullerton, Calif.)

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Louisiana-Lafayette. 000 000 02 –  2  4  1      (26-6)

Arizona State……. 000 000 00 –  0  1  3      (28-4)

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Pitchers: Louisiana-Lafayette – Cuevas, Brittany. Arizona State – Burkhart, Katie.

Win-Cuevas, Brittany(16-3)  Loss-Burkhart, Katie(12-2)  T- 2:00