March 25, 2001

LAFAYETTE, La. - Samford freshman Abi Casillo hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Bulldogs only run in a 4-1 loss to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday night in the second game of the Janette Spell Memorial Tournament.

Samford dropped to 12-23 by losing its sixth-straight game and second of the day. The Bulldogs fell to Nicholls State 4-2 in the first game of the tournament. SU will try to rebound on Sunday as it faces Lafayette again at Noon and Nicholls State at 2 p.m.

Lafayette (20-5) got on the board by putting three runs up in the fourth inning. Summer Lapeyrouse had a two-RBI double and Tiffany Grayson had an RBI double to score Lapeyrouse to give the Lady Cajuns a 3-0 lead. Lafayette added a run in the fifth on an RBI-ground out by Jana Mower which scored Jerie Alexander from third base.

Micah Barbato (5-0) went the distance for the Lady Cajuns giving up seven hits and striking out five. Brianne Mertens (8-11) gave up eight hits and fanned five in her seven innings of work.

Casillo hit her third home run of the season with two out in the sixth to straight away center field. Jennifer Graham went 3-3 in the game with a double and Michelle Wright had a pair of hits in three trips and hit her team high ninth double of the season. Casillo, Graham, and Wright accounted for all seven of Samford's hits in the game.

Lafayette defeated Nicholls State 15-0 in the middle game of the day. Sunday's schedule has the Lady Cajuns and Nicholls playing at 10 a.m. Samford and Lafayette will play at Noon, and Samford and Nicholls will conclude the tournament at 2 p.m.