For the second straight week, the visiting team scored two runs in the top of the first inning.
And for the second straight week, very little right took place for that team from that point on.
This time it was the No. 25 UL Ragin’ Cajuns softball team smiling after claiming a 9-4 win over No. 6 LSU on Tuesday at Lamson Park.
The Cajuns are now 34-15 while the Tigers dropped to 35-11. UL next plays McNeese in Lake Charles on Wednesday, while LSU opens a Southeastern Conference series at home against Arkansas at 6 p.m. Friday.
The first inning actually did not go well for either starting pitcher.
LSU posted two runs in its first at-bat despite UL pitcher Sam Landry retiring the first two batters on a pair of groundouts. After that, Taylor Pleasants singled and Raeleen Gutierrez doubled. Add in an UL throwing error and the Tigers were up 2-0 quickly.
Landry then hit the next two batters before giving way to reliever Chloe Riassetto, who gave up eight hits in 3â…” innings in Ïã¸ÛÁùºÍ¿ª½±ÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ the week before.
For the second straight week, the team that took the 2-0 lead didn’t win. UL was up 2-0 last week before LSU prevailed 4-2.
The Cajuns went to work against LSU starter Rae Chaffin in the bottom for the first.
Mihyia Davis led off with a triple and beat the throw to the plate on Maddie Hayden’s grounder to second.
Laney Credeur singled, Alexa Langeliers was hit by a pitch and Brooke Ellestad tied it with an RBI single to left to bring in reliever Kelley Lynch for LSU after Chaffin failed to record an out.
Two quick outs later, Cecilia Vasquez and Kayla Falterman each coaxed RBI walks for a 4-2 Cajuns lead before Davis delivered a two-run single to center to make it a six-run frame.
Riassetto took care of the rest for the Cajuns. After struggling against the Tigers last week, Riassetto allowed only two runs on three hits with no walks and two strikeouts over 6â…“ innings for the win.
UL added two insurance runs in the fourth back-to-back solo shots from Langeliers and Ellestad for an 8-2 lead.
Lynch ended up allowing three runs on seven hits, three walks and struck out no one in 3â…” innings.
The Cajuns added another run in the fifth. Falterman led off with an infield single and then advanced on a groundout. Hayden singled to right and headed to second base, allowing Falterman to score as Hayden was being tagged out at second base.
Tuesday was only UL’s fourth win at home against LSU in 13 tries. The Tigers now lead the all-time series 26-16.
