Trojans Fall to Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday

Saturday, March 26

Lafayette, LA

1:00 p.m.

Troy University

(18) University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

Trojans Fall to Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday

3/26/2011 7:16:56 PM | Softball

TROY held lead for most of opener, before dropping the nightcap

By: Travis Jarome

Box Score (Game 1) | Box Score (Game 2)

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Troy University Trojans came up short against (No. 19/20) Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday in Sun Belt Conference action, falling in the opener 5-2 before losing the nightcap 8-0 in front of 1,202 at Lamson Park.

All it took was two pitches for junior Sarah Harris (Surrey, BC, Canada/Semiahmoo Secondary) to get back into the swing of things after missing over a full month of action due to a concussion. The junior, who has not played since the Trojans' hosted the Quality Inn Classic the second weekend in February, hit the second pitch she saw from Louisiana-Lafayette's ace Ashley Brignac over the left field wall to give TROY a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning of the opener.

The Trojans were able to tack on another run in the third inning to take a two-run lead when Kacie McAllister (Dothan, Ala./Dothan HS) and Michelle Hewett (Alford, Fla./Chipola JC) drew back-to-back walks to start the inning of off Brignac (14-2). Kelly Luquette (St. Amant, La./St. Amant HS) stepped to the plate and reached on a sacrifice attempt as the throw from catcher Sarah Draheim sailed into right field; allowing McAllister to score from second to give TROY a 2-0 lead.

TROY (19-14, 1-4 Sun Belt) was able to hold the lead until the bottom of the sixth as starter Ashlyn Williams (Hattiesburg, Miss./Oak Grove HS) was able to keep Louisiana-Lafayette (26-5, 4-1 Sun Belt) off balance through five innings.

However, in the sixth, Louisiana-Lafayette was able to get to Williams for five runs highlighted by back-to-back singles from Gabrielle Bridges and Christi Orgeron with one out in the inning. The Ragin' Cajuns cut the lead to 2-1 when Paige Cromier drove in pinch runner Megan Waterman from second, and took the lead when Orgeron and Cromier both scored on a triple from Draheim. The Ragin' Cajuns would add two more runs to close out the inning.

Williams (8-8) suffered the loss going six innings, allowing five runs off of six hits. She also walked three and struck out six in the loss. In the opener, the Trojans were able to string together five hits in the contest but none bigger than the home run from Harris.

In the nightcap, the Trojans never could get to Louisiana-Lafayette starter Ashley Brignac as the junior went a complete-game and allowed just one hit. The big blow for Louisiana-Lafayette came off the bat of Orgeron, who connected on a two-run home run; while Briana Cherry went 3-for-3 for the Ragin' Cajuns, who hit her first career home run in the opener.

The Trojans had a chance in the third inning to get to Brignac, but were unable to after pinch runner Ashley Adkins (Tampa, Fla./Robinson HS) made it to third base. The inning started with a Randi Ashworth (Crosby, Texas/Tallahassee CC) double down the left field line to set the stage for the Trojans. She was replaced by Adkins, who was sacrificed over to third by McAllister; but the Trojans were unable to get her across the plate, and at the time trailed just 1-0.

Louisiana-Lafayette was able to put the game away as they scored a pair of runs in each the fourth and fifth innings, before scoring three in the bottom of the sixth to end the contest. Morgan Grove (Tampa, Fla./Tallahassee CC) suffered the loss for the Trojans as she went five innings in the loss.

The two teams meet in the series finale on Sunday afternoon. The first pitch is scheduled by 12 noon at Lamson Park.

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