UL Softball Downs McNeese
The 22nd-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns recorded a non-conference victory on Wednesday evening.
Louisiana went to Lake Charles, Louisiana and knocked off the McNeese Cowgirls, 5-3.
UL jumped out to a 4-0 lead, and then held on for the two-run triumph.
The match-up was the final non-conference game of the year for the Cajuns.
The win also moved UL's road record to 8-5 this season.
Louisiana got on the scoreboard first, plating a run in the top half of the first inning, when Brittany Rodriguez doubled, before later crossing the plate on a run-scoring single off the bat of Lexie Comeaux, to give them a quick 1-0 lead.
The Cajuns extended their lead in the top half of the 3rd inning, scoring three times, including a bases loaded walk by Comeaux and a bunt single off the bat of Jolie Readeaux that drove home a run, to widen their lead to 4-0.
McNeese scored their first, and only runs, in the bottom half of the 5th inning, when Erika Piancastelli smashed a three-run home run, her 15th of the season, to trim the deficit to 4-3.
Louisiana put the game away in the top half of the 6th inning, scoring on a run on a clutch two-out single off the bat of Alissa Dalton, to extend their lead to 5-3.
That would be all UL would need, as they went on to the 2-run triumph.
Louisiana, who outhit McNeese, 10-4, was paced at the plate by Comeaux, Dalton, and Brittany Rodriguez, who each collected two hits, while Comeaux drove home two runs.
It marked the 8th-consecutive game that UL accumulated at least 7 hits at the plate, as well as the 6th time in the last 8 games that they accumulated double-digit base hits.
Summer Ellyson (15-6) recorded the win in the circle for the Cajuns, pitching 6.2 innings of shutout softball, while allowing only three hits.
The three runs that McNeese scored were against reliever Kylee Jo Trahan, before Ellyson, the starter, re-entered the contest.
For Ellyson, the game marked the 14th time in 21 starts that she held the opposition to one run or less.
Ashley Koncir (4-1) suffered the loss for the Cowgirls, allowing 4 runs on 4 hits over 2.0 innings of work.
View the game box score here.
With the victory, Louisiana improved to 29-11, overall, while McNeese fell to 30-16.
The Cajuns return to action on Saturday, when they play host to the Georgia Southern Eagles in a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader at Lamson Park beginning at 2 pm.