MOBILE, Ala. - Gabriele Bridges hit a two-run
home run in the fifth inning, as No. 1 Louisiana-Lafayette ended No. 7 ULM's
season with a 6-1 victory in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament on Friday
afternoon at Jaguar Park.
The Warhawks 2010 tournament run was a
rollercoaster ride, as it defeated No. 2 FIU in the opening day. ULM then fell
to No. 6 Troy, before fighting back to defeat No. 8 Middle Tennessee. The
Warhawks made a valiant effort against the powerful Ragin' Cajuns, but they couldn't
put together timely hits to continue their season.
Katie Girardi recorded a base hit and RBI to
lead ULM (24-26). Melissa Rivera scored the Warhawks only run and Amanda
Sartoris recorded her seventh sacrifice hit of the season in the defeat.
Vallie Gaspard led Louisiana-Lafayette
(41-16) with three hits a run scored, while Kelly Cormier recorded two base
hits and scored a run. Christi Orgeron hit her fifth sacrifice fly of the
season and Bridges long ball was her 14th of the year.
Brittany Cuevas (20-7) picked up the complete
game victory, after she struck out seven and walked two. She allowed one earned
run on two hits.
Cuevas struck out four and had a no-hitter
with two outs in the fourth frame, before Roxy Cassel broke things up with a dribbling
single that went five feet in front of the catcher down the left foul line.
The contest with a pitching and defensive
showcase until Louisiana-Lafayette busted the game wide open in the top of the
fifth inning with six runs. The Ragin' Cajuns batted around the order and
recorded four hits, to go along with two walks, a sacrifice fly and a Warhawk
throwing error.
Louisiana-Lafayette scored all six of its
runs between a span of five batters. It also scored three of its six runs after
two outs. Within the inning, Bridges blasted a two-run home run over the patio
in left field.
ULM answered in the bottom half of the fifth
inning with a run to cut its deficit to 6-1. Rivera led off the frame with a
walk and was pushed to second on Sartoris' sacrifice bunt. Girardi then laced a
single up the middle to plate a run.
Kandace Causey (10-11) was tagged with the
complete game loss. She struck out seven, walked three, allowed six runs - five
earned - and scattered seven hits.
ULM seniors Causey and Michelle Farrell-Fink
end their careers with 87 victories and three appearances in the Sun Belt
Conference Tournament.
