On the arms of Brittany Cuevas and Donna Bourgeois, Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team was able to claim two wins over North Texas on Saturday at Lamson Park. The Cajuns shutout the Mean Green to open the day, 2-0, before rallying from an early deficit to grab a 2-1 victory in game two.

With the two wins, UL is now 35-15 on the season and 16-4 in the Sun Belt. The victories also improved UL’s home record to 16-1.

North Texas falls to 26-16 overall and 12-8 in the league.

GAME ONE
The Cajuns captured game one, 2-0, after doing all their damage in the bottom of the first inning and on a superb pitching effort from Cuevas.

A lead-off single by Vallie Gaspard and back-to-back walks for Christi Orgeron and Gabriele Bridges loaded the bags for the Cajuns in the first innings with one out. After a foul-out, Nerissa Myers singled through the left side to score UL’s first run. Britni Soria drew a bases-loaded, RBI-walk before the end of the frame to take the early 2-0 lead.

Only three North Texas players reached base through six innings, with none advancing past first base.

The Cajuns would not fair much better, posting just two more hits through the sixth frame.

Mean Green would put runners on the corners after a hit, a walk and a fielder’s choice in the top of the seventh. But with two outs showing, Cuevas fanned the final batter to seal the shutout.

Cuevas picked up the win after striking out nine, allowing two hits and walking two.  The senior hurler is now 17-6 on the season after her seventh shutout of the season.

The Cajuns scattered four hits in the victory.

GAME TWO
Cuevas kept things rolling in the pitcher’s circle to start game two. But the Mean Green struck first with a lead-off, solo home run by Mariz Martinez

After giving up the early run, Cuevas proceeded to retire the next eight batters before a North Texas single in the top of the third.

Gaspard drew the Cajuns even in the bottom of the third inning. Kelly Cormier reached on single and moved to second on a ground out. Gaspard singled up the middle, scoring the tying run and moving to second after the throw to the plate was late. The senior slapper eventually made her way over to third but the inning came to a close before she could cross the plate.

UL had a chance to move some more runs across the plate in the next inning. A double by Bridges, a walk and a base hit loaded the bases with one out. However, back-to-back ground outs stranded the Cajuns’ potential go-ahead run. 

Cuevas was replaced by Donna Bourgeois in the top of the fifth with two outs and one runner at first. For the day, Cuevas pitched 11.2 innings with 14 strikeouts and two walks.

UL finally grabbed the lead in the second game of the afternoon in the fifth inning. Orgeron reached second after a fielder’s choice and error on the Mean Green. Bridges then hit a two-out single through the left side with Orgeron scoring the go-ahead run.

The Mean Green looked to possibly tie or take the lead in the top of the inning after consecutive, two-out singles. But Bourgeois posted her only strikeout to walk away with the win.

Bourgeois was the pitcher of record after pitching the final 2.1 innings. She improves to 18-9 on the year.

The Cajuns’ rattled off six hits with Bridges leading the way at the plate. The junior first baseman was 2-for-3 with the game-winning RBI.

Weather permitting, the Cajuns and the Mean Green will wrap up the series tomorrow at 11 a.m. CT. Stay tuned to ragincajuns.com for updates.