Monroe, La. ? The Kentucky softball team dropped its first game of the season to No. 9 Louisiana Lafayette 8-4 on Saturday Feb. 7, 2004 at the Mardi Gras Classic in Monroe, La. UK is set to take on host Louisiana Monroe later this afternoon before finishing tournament play tomorrow vs. Georgia Tech and Gardner Webb.

The Cats got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning, as Rachel Friberg and Meghan Cooper produced back-to-back singles to reach base with only one out. Amy Kendall sent Friberg home with a base hit up the middle to give Kentucky a 1-0 early lead.

The Rajun Cajuns answered back in the second. Lacey Bertucci?s solo homer started the three-run rally in the top of the inning, and UL countered with three more in the third to give them a 6-1 cushion. UK?s Amber Janneck sent the first ball of her career out of the park in the sixth, and, after two more from UL, Meghan Cooper drove in Janneck and Gina Florencein the seventh to provide the final 8-4 margin.

Louisiana Lafayette?s Brooke Mitchell was stellar on the mound, going six innings while striking out 12 Kentucky batters for her first win of the season. Cooper went 3-of-4 at the plate for UK with two RBIs and replaced starting pitcher Amy Kendall on the hill in the fifth inning. Cooper faced only 10 batters in three innings of work, giving up only one hit to the Rajun Cajuns and no runs.

The Cats are now 2-1 on the season and 0-2 all-time vs. UL.