GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Samford University softball team continued play in the Sand Dollar Classic and battled to the very end against No.11 UL-Lafayette and Houston Baptist University but fell short by a run a piece in each contest on Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

The 11th-ranked Ragin' Cajuns (4-0) had run-ruled every team they had played in the Sand Dollar Classic up until their meeting with the Bulldogs (1-3). The team based out of Lafayette, Louisiana dismantled Ball State (22-4), UAB (15-0) and Southeast Missouri (8-0) all in five innings.

Redshirt senior Mollie Hanson put everything she had into every pitch she threw to keep the powerful Cajun offense at bay and off the scoreboard thanks in part to the outsanding defensive play behind her.

"Defense has been pretty solid." Head Coach Mandy Burford said. "We had a couple of bad hops that didn't go our way in the ULL game that ended up costing us but at the same time Shelby Maze jumped over the fence and brought a home run back."

The potent Louisiana offense was held scoreless for a majority of the contest as Hanson limited them to just a pair of hits heading into the top of the fifth inning.

It was in the fifth when Kassidy Zeringue reached on a two-out throwing error by Hanson after sending a slap shot back to the circle. Haley Hayden broke the scoreless tie with an RBI single to shallow left field to bring in Zeringue for the games lone run, which was unearned.

"Mollie pitched outstanding, it was the best game I have probably seen her pitch in her career. To hold a team that has four-plus hitters that hit 30-plus home runs last year, that was just incredible. She and Coach Erin (Arevalo) called a great game."

The Bulldogs offense managed just one hit in the contest but reached base several other times thanks to a walk and a hit batter issued by Kylee Jo Trahan.

"Haven't been able to put it together yet, haven't been able to put together that right combination together in the lineup." Burford said. "We're getting runners on, we're just not getting the runners in. Something we are just going to harp on tomorrow morning and all week at practice, getting runners on, getting them over and getting them in."

Hanson faced 27 batters in the contest and forced 15 fly outs and four ground outs while recording two strikeouts and limiting the Cajuns to just four hits and one walk.

 "We knew going in that they're the No. 11 team and that they're obviously going to swing the bat." Mollie Hanson continued. "Coach Erin did a great job of calling a great game, Boo (Hannah Trombley) caught a great game on defense and I mean Shelby Maze going over the fence to get that ball was incredible."

"Everybody played great tonight, Kelsey (Royalty) had couple of great catches out in right and Lexie (Higgins) had a couple of great plays at short." Hanson ended. "I can't say enough about how the defense played really great tonight."

In the early afternoon game Jessica Stone received the start in the circle for the Bulldogs against Houston Baptist. Stone pitched four-complete innings and allowed five hits to the Huskies. Two of which were the deciding solo home runs in the contest.

The Bulldog offense was limited to just four hits, one of which came from Royalty who drove in Shelby Maze on an RBI single to left field for Samford's only run of the day.

Samford returns to action tomorrow to wrap up the final day of the Sand Dollar Classic against Belmont at 9 a.m. at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.