Special to the Advertiser

GULF SHORES, Ala. – Lexie Elkins tied a school record with three home runs - the second time she’s accomplished the feat in her career - and tallied four RBI to power the 11th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns softball team to an 8-2 win over Louisiana Tech in the final game of the Sand Dollar Classic in Gulf Shores.

Alex Stewart scattered eight hits and allowed only one earned run over seven innings as she improved to 3-0 on the season.

With the win, the Ragin’ Cajuns finished the Sand Dollar Classic at the Gulf Shores SportsPlex with a 5-0 record and extended their win streak over the Lady Techsters to 26 games (dates back to April 1999).

No. 11 Louisiana returns to action next weekend for its Lamson Park season debut, hosting the 30th Annual Louisiana Classics tournament Friday-Sunday, Feb. 19-21. The Ragin’ Cajuns start the event with a 2 p.m., doubleheader against No. 6 Oregon on Friday, Feb. 19.

Sunday’s performance increased Elkins’ weekend numbers to five home runs and 14 RBI. She finished 10-for-15 at the plate (.667) and recorded three multi-hit games and four multi-RBI games.

Stewart’s outing allowed the Ragin’ Cajuns pitching staff to end the weekend with only four earned runs allowed over 27 innings pitched (0.97 ERA). The Zionsville, Ind., native added five strikeouts, upping her weekend total to 16 strikeouts over 14 innings pitched.

Elkins opened the scoring with a solo home run in the first inning off of La. Tech starter Bailey Allen and increased the Cajuns’ lead to 3-0 with her second homer of the game off of Allen in the third inning.

La. Tech (3-2) scratched an unearned run in the bottom half of the third after a bunt single followed by a throwing error that moved the runner to third base and a subsequent squeeze bunt.

Louisiana broke open a 4-1 contest in the fifth inning with three runs capped off by Aleah Craighton’s two-run double that hopped over the third base bag in fair territory.

The lone earned run off of Stewart came in Tech’s half of the fifth inning after an infield single by Berkley Callap and double from Kassie Harris to start the inning set the stage for a run-scoring single through the left side by Anna Cross.

The Lady Techsters attempt to cut into a 7-2 deficit was foiled after an unsuccessful double steal was shut down by Elkins and Haley Hayden. Both runners were tagged out attempting to swipe the bags and the Ragin’ Cajuns preserved a five-run edge.

Elkins’ third home run of the day came in the seventh inning off of La. Tech reliever Preslee Gallaway and provided the final tally of the contest.

Stewart struck out Karlee Jensen looking with runners on first and second in the bottom of the seventh to close out the victory.