Cajuns Unleash Offense in Game Two, Complete Doubleheader Sweep

Click Here to View Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. - The 15th-ranked Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team got the bats working in the top half of the third inning in game two here on Saturday night, as Louisiana-Lafayette took game two of a Sun Belt Conference series with Florida Atlantic by the score of 7-2.

The win completed a doubleheader sweep for the Ragin' Cajuns who defeated FAU 3-2 earlier Saturday evening on a Lacey Bertucci three-run home run in the seventh inning.

Louisiana improves to 23-6 overall and 3-2 in conference play.  FAU drops to 13-9 and 0-2 in Sun Belt competition.

With the score tied at one in the UL half of the third, Holly Tankersley led off the inning with an infield hit and Bertucci followed with a base on balls. Desi Chatman's RBI single to center scored pinch runner Courtney Trahan from second and the Cajuns led 2-1.  

Following a Melissa Verde walk, Meagan Godwin delivered a two-RBI single to left centerfield, scoring pinch runner Adele Files and Chatman to give Louisiana-Lafayette a 4-1 lead.  

Lana Bowers added an RBI single in the inning, and at the end of the Cajun half of the third, UL led 5-1.

The Cajuns picked up a run in the top of the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead as Tankersley drew a walk with one out and scored on a Chatman double to right centerfield.

The Owls answered with an RBI double of their own in the bottom of the first as Jenna Lopez scored from second on a Mandi Fishback double to left field to tie the score at one at the end of the first inning.  The Owls half of the first ended as Amy Bukovich's deep drive to left field in foul territory was tracked down by Cajun left fielder Vallie Gaspard on a fine defensive play.

In the bottom half of the third, FAU cut the lead to 5-2 as Bukovich singled to center and Fishback scored from second.  

Tankersley led off the top half of the fourth with a towering shot over the right field wall, clearing the scoreboard and the palm trees, to extend the Cajuns lead to 6-2.  Tankersley's homer was her eighth of the season.

With one out in the inning, Chatman homered to left field, a solo shot for her fourth of the season. With the two runs in the top half of the fourth, the Cajuns increased their lead to 7-2.

Both teams went quietly in the final three innings as Louisiana closed out the 7-2 win.

Tankersley gave up four hits over her seven innings of work and improved her season record to 9-3.  

Kathryn Stauffer, who pitched the first 3 1/3 innings for the Owls was tagged with her first loss of the season, and is now 4-1.  Meagan Dunen and Amber Barton also saw time in the pitching circle for FAU.

The Cajuns totaled seven hits in the contest led by Chatman who was 3-for-4 at the plate, with a double and a homerun, and three RBI's. Tankersley added two hits, one a solo homerun. Godwin added a hit and two RBI's and Bowers was one for three with an RBI.

Tankersley's two hits extended her season-best hitting streak to 13 games.