Softball: Ragin’™ Cajuns Take Tigers to the Limit in Baton Rouge Regional Championship Round

Dominant effort from Kandra Lamb gave No. 15 Louisiana a chance to advance

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• GAME 1 BOX SCORE (PDF)
• GAME 2 BOX SCORE (PDF)
• BATON ROUGE – Behind a three-hit shutout from Kandra Lamb No. 15 Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball forced a winner-take-all contest on Sunday in the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional, but fell just short of a Super Regional appearance as No. 16 Louisiana State claimed the deciding contest 8-5.
   
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  Lamb (7.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 5 K) kept the LSU batters off balance in the opening contest of the championship round, striking out five and not allowing a single runner to successfully move past second base as the Ragin’ Cajuns (47-12) posted a 2-0 win that set up the opportunity to play for the Super Regional spot.
   
  Jade Gortarez (1-for-3, double, 2 RBI) provided all the run support Lamb would need with a two-run double in the third inning.
   
  Louisiana struck quick as play continued in the regional-deciding contest, with Ciara Bryan (1-for-4, 2 runs, HR, RBI) launching a leadoff home run. Four of the next five Ragin’ Cajuns reached base, however the lead wouldn’t be extended.
   
  Lamb narrowly missed out on preventing a response in the bottom of the first inning as a two-out, two-run single off the bat of Georgia Clark gave the Tigers (35-20) a 2-1 lead and a key momentum swing.
   
  The game remained up for grabs entering the fifth inning with Louisiana State clinging to a slim 3-1 lead. The Tigers erupted for four runs in the bottom half of the frame to stretch the margin to 7-1 and put the Ragin’ Cajuns in daunting position for a comeback.
   
  Louisiana didn’t go away quietly, though, getting runs back on a two-run home run from Bailey Curry in the sixth inning, then a Gortarez RBI single and Justice Milz sacrifice fly that closed the deficit to three runs.
   
  The loss brought a close to the 2021 season for Louisiana, the Sun Belt Conference’s regular season and tournament champions. Appearing on Championship Sunday of an NCAA Regional for the 13th consecutive appearance, the Ragin’ Cajuns were one win shy of returning to the Super Regional round for the first time since 201