UL Softball Splits Doubleheader With Texas

The 10th-ranked Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns recorded a doubleheader split with the 3rd-ranked Texas Longhorns on Tuesday night in Austin, Texas, in a match-up of two top ten softball programs.

Louisiana defeated Texas, 3-2, in the first game, before the Longhorns came back to capture the nightcap, 2-1.

With the non-conference twinbill split, UL is now 3-3 against ranked schools this season.

In the first game, Texas jumped on top in the bottom half of the first inning when Janae Jefferson walked, before later scoring on an infield single off the bat of Miranda Elish, to give them a quick 1-0 lead.

Louisiana grabbed the lead in the top half of the 4th inning when Bailey Curry crushed a three-run home run, her second of the season, to give them a 3-1 edge.

The Longhorns made things interesting in the bottom half of the 7th inning, scoring one run, courtesy of a Janae Jefferson double, followed by a Shannon Rhodes single, but could do no more, as Louisiana hung on for the big 3-2 road win.

Louisiana, who was outhit by Texas, 6-4, was led at the plate by Curry, who hit the game-winning three-run homer.

Megan Kleist (5-3) recorded the win in the circle for the Cajuns, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out four batters.

Miranda Elish (7-2) suffered the loss for the Longhorns, allowing three runs on four hits.

View the game one boxscore.

In the second game, Louisiana fell behind early once again, as Texas scored one run in the bottom half of the second inning, courtesy of a double by Lauren Burke, who later scored on a single off the bat of Colleen Sullivan, giving them a quick 1-0 lead.

The Cajuns tied the contest in the top half of the 4th inning, when Curry came through again, smashing a solo homer, her second of the day, and third of the season, to even things, 1-1.

The Longhorns took the lead for good in the bottom half of the 5th inning, when Reagan Hathaway opened the frame with a single, before scoring on a bloop, infield, windblown double Shannon Rhodes, to give them a 2-1 lead.

That turned out to be all the scoring in the game, as Texas on to the 2-1 triumph, earning a doubleheader split, and putting an end to UL's 5-game win streak.

Louisiana, who was outhit by Texas, 8-4, was paced at the plate by Curry, who homered.

Shealyn O'leary (3-1) picked up the win in the circle for the Longhorns, allowing only one run on four hits over 6.2 innings of work, with Elish recording the final out to get the save.

Summer Ellyson (7-1) got hit with the loss for the Cajuns, allowing two runs on 8 hits over 6.0 inning of work.

View the game two boxscore.

With the doubleheader split, Louisiana moved to 12-4 on the season, while Texas now stands at 16-2.

The Cajuns return to action on Friday, when they travel to Gainesville, Florida to take on the 6th-ranked Florida Gators in the opening game of a three-game, weekend, non-conference series.