MONROE, La. - The ULM softball team was unable to stop No.
24 UL-Lafayette's bats in game two of the Sun Belt Conference doubleheader
Saturday afternoon to fall 12-3 in a six-inning mercy rule loss at the ULM
Softball Complex. The Ragin' Cajuns clinch the series after winning game one
3-0.
Brianna Love was the only ULM (27-25, 10-13 SBC) player with
multiple hits for the day as she went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one stolen base.
Charlotte Pastor went 1-for-2 with her first career single and run scored while
Jessica Olguin and Miyuki Navarrete each went 1-for-3 with one run and
Navarrete had a double.
Stephanie Routzon (8-7) was credited the loss after starting
1.1 innings in the circle and allowed three runs, two earned on three hits
while striking out two. Jessica Chastka also threw 1.1 innings with five runs
and two hits while Heather Fritz pitched the final 3.1 innings and collected four
earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts.
UL-Lafayette (44-9, 18-5 SBC) got on the scoreboard first
with a single run in the first inning by Nerissa Myers and added two more one
inning later with a two-RBI single by Christi Orgeron which broke the Sun Belt's
single-season RBI record. Orgeron collected five RBIs for the game to total 84
this year.
The Ragin' Cajuns continued to pile on runs after loading
the bases in the third inning and walked in a run to spark a five-run scoring spree.
Orgeron belted her second two-RBI single in two at bats followed by two runs
scored on fielding errors to take a commanding 8-0 advantage.
ULM had its first hits of the day in the third inning as Pastor
led off with a single up the middle to be the first Warhawk to reach followed
by another single by Olguin. Navarrete smacked her second double this season for
two RBIs to plate both runners before scoring herself off a single by Love to
cut UL-Lafayette's lead 8-3.
A scoreless fourth inning followed before the Ragin' Cajuns
took control of the contest for the final two frames. Gabrielle Bridges doubled
and Paige Cormier singled to add two runs as Briana Cherry and Katie Smith
plated two more in the sixth inning to end the game with a 12-3 mercy-rule
decision after the Warhawks couldn't respond in the bottom of the inning.
UL-Lafayette pounded out 13 hits for the game led by Cherry
who went 3-for-3 with three runs while Orgeron went 3-for-4 with one run and
five RBIs. Christina Hamilton (11-2) earned the win in the circle after
throwing the complete game with three earned runs on five hits and six strikeouts.
The in-state rivals meet for the finale of the three-game
series tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. at the ULM Softball Complex as the
Warhawks honor their seniors on Senior Day for the final regular season game of
the year.
