LAFAYETTE-Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team dropped their second Sun Belt Conference game of the season as they fell 1-0 to Western Kentucky in nine innings at Alfred and Helen Lamson Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park on Sunday afternoon. 

The Cajuns (17-7, 1-2 SBC) kept WKU (17-6, 5-1 SBC) off the scoreboard for eight innings but crucial errors down the stretch proved to be the difference in the ballgame.

In the ninth inning, a throwing error by UL with one out gave the Toppers their first base runner of the inning.  A walk moved the runner into scoring position and a fly ball moved the runner to third base with two outs.  A second error of the inning allowed the run to score, putting the Cajuns behind 1-0.  The lone run would prove to be the difference in the game. 

The game marked the fifth time this season that the Cajuns went into extra innings.   

Offensively, Louisiana out-hit the Toppers, 9-3, but UL stranded nine batters on base including four runners in scoring position.  The Cajuns left runners on base in five of the nine innings and two UL players were thrown out trying to steal. 

The Ragin’ Cajuns hit the ball extremely well but were hampered by excellent WKU defense.  The Cajuns drove the ball to the outfield 16 times on the afternoon with nothing to show for it, as Western Kentucky recorded 16 fly-ball outs, including a diving catch and several grabs at the wall. 

Katie Smith and Melissa Verde both finished the game with two hits apiece.  Smith went 2-for-4 with a stolen base, while Verde went 2-for-2 with an intentional walk and a hit by pitch. 

In the circle, Ashley Brignac threw the complete 9.0 innings of work for her longest outing of the season.  She allowed only one run, which was unearned, extending her streak of consecutive innings without an earned run to 50.1 innings.  Brignac recorded eight strikeouts in the game, while surrendering just a pair of walks. 

The Cajuns threatened in the bottom of the fifth inning.  With two outs, Louisiana loaded the bases with back-to-back hits by Smith and Karli Hubbard and an intentional walk to Verde.  A deep fly ball to center field was caught for the final out of the inning, ending UL’s chance to put a run on the board. 

The Ragin’ Cajuns will play a midweek game on Thursday night in Lake Charles, La. as they take on McNeese State in a single game set for 5:00 p.m.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-