UL Softball Advances To Regional Finals, Defeat Texas, 3-2

The 11th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajun softball team won their second game in the 2014 Lafayette, La. NCAA Softball Regional on Saturday afternoon, defeating the Texas Longhorns, 3-2, at Lamson Park.

Louisiana scored two runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning, with the winning run scoring after a bases loaded walk-off walk to Sara Corbello, as the Cajuns remained unbeaten in the regional.

The victory gives Louisiana, the top-seed in the regional, and the #6-overall national seed, 38 wins in their last 41 games, and sends them into Championship Sunday as the lone unbeaten team, needing only one win to advance to their third-consecutive Super Regional, and fourth in the last five years.

Texas scored an unearned run off of UL starter Christina Hamilton in the top half of the third inning, before Louisiana tied it in the bottom half, as Shellie Landry drew a bases loaded walk against Texas starter Tiarra Davis, making the score 1-1.

The Longhorns took the lead in the top of the fourth, as shortstop Taylor Thom hit a 3-1 pitch over the left-centerfield fence for a solo home run, giving them a 2-1 advantage.

The score stayed that way until the bottom half of the seventh, when UL came up with some late-inning magic.

Lexi Elkins walked to lead off the inning, before Samantha Walsh singled to right, and Shellie Landry singled, loading the bases with no outs.

Shelbi Redfearn then singled to left-centerfield, scoring pinch runner Cassidy White, and knotting the score, 2-2.

After Kelsey Vincent struck out, Corbello worked the count full, and then drew the walk, scoring Walsh, and winning the game for the Cajuns.

Natalie Fernandez and Corin Voinche each collected two hits apiece, as UL outhit Texas, 8-3.

Hamilton (26-2), the 2014 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year, picked-up the win, allowing only one earned run in seven innings, as she recorded her 23nd victory in her last 24 decisions.

Only one of the three hits that Hamilton allowed left the infield.

Davis Staton (19-13) suffered the loss in the circle for the Longhorns.

With the victory, the Cajuns improve to 46-8-1 on the season, while Texas fell to 34-22.

The loss snapped a five-game losing streak against Texas for UL, and gave them their second-consecutive win over the Longhorns in regional play.

Louisiana now moves on to Championship Sunday, where they will face whoever come through the elimination bracket.

The game will begin at noon, with the Cajuns needing only one more win to win the regional.

A Louisiana loss would mean an "if Necessary game" would take place at approximately 3 pm.