By: Brandon Wise / Staff Writer
The Golden Panthers (21-17) softball team split the first two games of a three-game series with the No. 19 Louisiana Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns (28-5) on April 6.
ULL 7, FIU 2
In the first game, ULL dominated FIU early on and was able to hold on to pick up a win. Reigning Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week, Jenn Gniadek, had her struggles early on, allowing all seven runs in the first three innings.
She did, however, finish off her final three innings without giving up a run.
In the top of the first, Gniadek hit the first batter she faced and then allowed a triple to make it a 1-0 game. Then she would allow an RBI double to right to make it 2-0.
In the second inning, Brie Rojas led off by reaching first on an error. After being advanced to second on a sac bunt, junior Jenny Welch brought her home on a single to center to cut the lead in half to 2-1.
Following that, the Ragin’ Cajuns exploded for four runs in the bottom of the inning to make a 6-1 game. The lead would reach 7-1 before Junior Ashley McClain would reach on an error and then later be brought home by Rachel Slowik, making it 7-2.
The deficit would prove to be just too much though, as the Golden Panthers could only manage six hits and those two runs off of ULL pitcher Ashley Brignac, who is now 15-2 on the season.
FIU 3, ULL 2
In game two, the Golden Panthers handed ULL their first home loss of the season. Pitcher Mariah Dawson went all seven innings in a winning effort. Dawson allowed eight hits, but only two hits and now has a record of 8-5 on the season.
Leading off the top of the first, Jessy Alfonso walked. Following a McClain single and Rojas walk, Kayla Burri sacrificed bunted home a run to make it a 1-0 lead for the Golden Panthers.
In the top of the second, Rachel Slowik pushed the lead to 2-0 with her first career home run to center field. Sophomore Alex Casals and then Alfonso would take her place following a fielder’s choice.
Sophomore Beth Peller would then single her home to drive the lead up to 3-0.
The Ragin’ Cajuns would battle back in the fifth to make the score 3-2, but just could not get over the hump as Dawson would work her way out of jams in both the sixth and seventh innings with the defense giving her a lot of support.
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