Not much has changed since last weekend. Four days after beating Louisiana-Lafayette, the Longhorns swept the Ragin’ Cajuns in a doubleheader at home, 9-4 and 7-1, grabbing their third and fourth straight wins over a Top 20 team for the first time since 2007 on Wednesday.
Opening game one with pitcher Blaire Luna in the circle, the top of the first looked like it would be a quick one. Luna struck out her first batter and Torie Schmidt made a diving catch in left field, but the Ragin’ Cajuns seemed unfazed. For No. 15 Louisiana-Lafayette, Matte Haack took advantage of an uncharacteristic walk from Luna for a two-run homer before Sarah Draheim grounded out.
“[Luna]’s great with her rise ball and drop ball but needed a different card tonight,” head coach Connie Clark said. “When you’re playing a great ball club like Lafayette, people are going to make adjustments, and [Luna] stayed very composed.”
Texas came back strong with three runs as Louisiana-Lafayette replaced Christina Hamilton in the circle with Kristin Martinez. After Sara Corbello’s leadoff home run in the second, Luna refocused to allow only one more run in the seventh. She finished with eight strikeouts, allowing two walks and four runs off five hits. Though not her usual shutout, her 10th win of the season brought her career total to 90, the eighth most in Big 12 history.
“Knowing that they’ve seen me one time, I’m just playing chess with them,” Luna said. “They’re a really great ball club and can hit really well so it was about keeping them off balance.”
As Luna kept the Ragin’ Cajuns at bay, Stephanie Ceo’s drive, coupled with an error, sent her to third and brought home Torie Schmidt and Gabby Smith in the fourth. Taylor Thom remained a strong offensive presence, finishing with two RBIs and three runs on two hits. Every Longhorn starter had a hit on the night. Martinez (2-2) took the loss for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Starting for Game 2, Kim Bruins (6-0) assumed her role in the circle, keeping Louisiana-Lafayette scoreless through four innings. A signature Thom homer in the first kept Jordan Wallace (8-4) from doing the same. The Longhorn offense stayed strong throughout, finishing with seven runs off eight hits. Thom’s sixth-inning homer brought her night’s count to six runs off five hits with five RBIs.
“Last year was a struggle, so this year, I try to be more mentally tough and get back to the way I know I can play,” Thom said. “I go up to the plate with a plan, I look for a certain pitch and I’m more prepared. Hits are contagious. When someone hits a home run, you get pumped.”
Published on March 7, 2013 as "Longhorns sweep Ragin' Cajuns".
