UL Softball Rolls To Louisiana Classics Crown

The 13th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns remain unbeaten in the early portion of their 2019 college softball schedule, after capturing another win on Sunday, clinching the tournament title in the 33rd Annual Louisiana Classics at Lamson Park in the process.

Louisiana defeated Stephen F. Austin, 5-2, in the final game of the event, to claim the championship with a perfect 5-0 record.

The win was the second for UL over Stephen F. Austin in the tournament, after a 9-1 win on Saturday.

The triumph also extends the Cajuns' season-opening win streak to 11 games, their longest since 2015, when they began the year 14-0.

Louisiana ended up outscoring the opposition, 33-4, in the tournament.

Stephen F. Austin got on the scoreboard first, plating a run in the top half of the 3rd inning, when Madison Clements began the frame with an infield single, before later scoring on an infield single off the bat of Bryana Novegil, to give them a 1-0 lead.

Louisiana answered right back in the bottom half of the 3rd inning, when Julie Rawls belted a solo homer, her second of the season, to tie the game, 1-1.

UL took the lead for good bottom half of the 5th inning, courtesy of three long balls, including back-to-back homers by Rawls, her second of the contest, and third of the year, and Kourtney Gremillion, her first of the season, before Sarah Hudek smashed a solo homer herself, her second of the year, to give them a 4-1 advantage.

Alissa Dalton added another run to the Cajun total in the frame, driving home a run with a sacrifice-fly, to make it 5-1, a lead they would not relinquish.

The Ladyjacks drew a little closer in the 7th, when Brittany Crawford hit a solo homer, her second of the year, to drew them to within three runs.

That would be enough however, as the Cajuns went on to the 5-2 victory, and the tournament championship.

Louisiana, who outhit Stephen F. Austin, 6-5, was paced at the plate by Rawls, who went 2-for-2 with two homers, while Hudek and Kourtney Gremillion also homered.

Carrie Boswell (2-0) recorded the win in the circle for Louisiana, twirling 3.2 innings of scoreless relief.

Kassidy Wilbur (5-2) suffered the loss for Stephen F. Austin, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits over 4.0 innings.

View the game box score.

With the victory, Louisiana improved to 11-0 on the season, while Stephen F. Austin fell to 8-3.

The Cajuns return to action next weekend, when they travel to Waco, Texas to take part in the Baylor Invitational, hosted by the Baylor Bears.