Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Louisiana
Softball to host Louisiana
4/5/2010 5:42:00 PM | Softball
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The Middle Tennessee softball team will take on the Sun Belt's best as it prepares to play a mid-week series on Tuesday and Wednesday against the conference-leading Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns at Blue Raider Field.
The Blue Raiders will play host to an afternoon doubleheader on Tuesday beginning at 2 p.m. and followed by the second game at 4 p.m. The finale will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. Admission is free to all.
The Ragin' Cajuns hold a decisive lead in the all-time series winning 33 of the 35 games between the two schools. They enter the three game set with a 3-0 record in Sun Belt play, 21-11 overall. Both MT victories came in the 2007 series in Lafayette as Middle Tennessee won 5-3 and 4-3 in the second and third games to take the weekend series.
"They are the perennial top team in the Sun Belt Conference," said head coach Sue Nevar. "Every year they are competing for not only the Sun Belt title, but a national title. However, we will not go into these games scared. Our players will be ready and looking to pull an upset."
Middle Tennessee enters play coming off a difficult conference weekend, dropping two of three to Louisiana-Monroe Friday and Saturday. In the three game set, the Blue Raiders posted a combined batting average of .278 while allowing .280 during the three close contests. Brittney Banania was the individual leader at the plate, going 4-7 with one walk and a RBI. Corrie Abel extended her hitting streak to seven games when the weekend was finished.
Pitcher Lindsey Vander Lugt was up and down in the series tossing 15.2 total innings over the course of the three games. She received her 11th victory of the season in the first game while throwing a complete game shutout. The Olympia, Wash., native would take her ninth and 10th losses in the following two games. For the season, Vander Lugt has 103 strikeouts and a 2.66 ERA.
Louisiana is coming off win last weekend, defeating the Houston Cougars in a doubleheader. For the year, the team is hitting .303, while giving up just .215 to opposing batters. Vallie Gaspard holds the top individual average, .402, while Christi Orgeron has a league leading 42 RBIs and 13 home runs. In the circle, Donna Bourgeois is the team ace with a 10-7 record and a 2.03 ERA.
