ERROR ON GROUND BALL THAT SHOULD HAVE ENDED THE GAME. GAME TIED 3-3!
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ERROR ON GROUND BALL THAT SHOULD HAVE ENDED THE GAME. GAME TIED 3-3!
wow 3-3. lets go ladies
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!! NEVER SAY DIE!!!!
amazing diving catch by the UH 2B to save a run. Sigur was pinch running for Chatman and would have scored if it got through. Good game so far. Bottom 7; 3-3
Great play by 2nd baseball. Diving catch that prevents go ahead run. Heading into the bottom of the 7th, it's a tie ball game 3-3.
Deep fly ball, caught at the wall. After 7, we are tied 3-3.
Going into the 9th, still 3-3.Quote:
Originally Posted by cjr3888
Walk off home run. Cougars win it in 9, 4-3.
Its over. Houston homers to win it in the 9th....::x::Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroCajun
Bring on the Sam Houston Institute of Technology. (Then UHoo again, then A&M x2).:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Jason
Who will be pitching tomorrow?Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroCajun
I hate to whine (not really) but that ump called a very large strike zone in favor of Houston, but it didn't look nearly as tall and wide for us. Once that Houston pitcher saw how wide she could get a strike called, I think she did her job very well. She and that ump made a very good team.
Not going to happen. Other teams now have the proper scouting report to beat us. As "talented" as this team may be, you have to execute to be champions. And yes, I will be glad to eat my words IF they come through and start playing like they can. I don't think I'll have to do so.Quote:
Originally Posted by AstroCajun
What do you think is the cause of the poor execution? Who will be pitching tomorrow?Quote:
Originally Posted by lcitsh
I thought he was making more of a wish than a prediction, hence the big grin. I do think we will get a shot at A&M. Today, that Houston pitcher was taking full advantage of a huge strike zone, and that is a softball bat killer. Cuevas threw a couple of mistakes right into the sweet spots. That was the difference in the game. The Cajuns are a little stale at the plate, but that strike zone appeared to be very large.Quote:
Originally Posted by lcitsh
Cheers, and here's to wishing you have to eat your words!
Unfortunately, there was no grin and it certainly is not a wish, I'm just thinking the Cajuns will not be able to come back and win this. Are you there at the regional, Just1More?Quote:
Originally Posted by Just1More
Congratulations to coach Holas and the Cougars for the success that she has had this year. It is also worth noting that she built that program from the ground up...as in it didn't exist until she was hired. Pretty fantastic job.
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Following Friday's regional game against Houston, UL is now mired in a three-game losing streak. The Cajuns have also lost four of their last five.
And while that seems an unusual stretch of futility for such a high-profile program, UL has endured similar streaks. For instance:
Since 2000, the Cajuns have gone through a pair of four-game losing streaks - this season (McNeese and a series sweep by Florida International) and in 2005 (two against No. 2 Arizona, No. 21 Arizona State and Long Beach State).
There have been five other three-game losing streaks during that time, including a series sweep by Arizona in 2006.
The crux of the current struggles has been UL's inabilty to create timely hits and the ability of opponents to connect in crucial situations.
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UL pitcher Brittany Cuevas has given up at least one home run in four of her last five games. During that stretch, each game an opponent has gone deep, UL has lost. Valis hit the second game-ending homer over that span.
"It's a long season and maybe she is (wearing down)," Lotief said of Cuevas. "But that kid is going to be an All-American some day. She's a warrior for us."
Hubbard top hitter
In all Friday, 115 total plate appearances were made at the College Station Regional. And no player took fuller advantage than UL's Karli Hubbard.
Hubbard went 3-for-5 in the Houston loss. The sophomore outfielder was the only player on day one to record three base hits.
A graduate of Comeaux High School, Hubbard had consecutive singles in the third, fifth and seventh innings. Her single with one out in the seventh helped set-up the rally where UL extended the game after scoring a pair of unearned runs.
North Vermilion's Vallie Gaspard reached on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning and scored UL's first run on an RBI single by Lacey Bertucci.
History made
This was the first time in program history that former Cajuns players met as head coaches in a regional game.
The Cougars' Kyla Holas (1991-94) got the better of Stefni Lotief (1987-90) following a dramatic 4-3 win in nine innings.
"I made an effort to make this game about my team, because this is a story the media likes," Holas said. "I'm just glad we won and I'm going to leave it at that."
Lotief has the upperhand overall, leading the series with Houston 2-1. Earlier in the week, Lotief also said it was a series that she plans to continue, and noted that it's already scheduled UL will travel for a mid-week doubleheader against the Cougars next season.
Injury update
Lotief said there will be no word on the availability of either Cuevas or outfielder Desi Chatman until today for the elimination game against Sam Houston State. The two teams meet at 2:30 p.m. But it didn't look good on Friday.
Cuevas tweaked her right knee early in the Houston loss and was visibly in pain throughout the remainder of the game. Chatman suffered a knee injury after hitting the first base bag awkwardly during the seventh inning and left the Texas A&M softball complex on crutches and her right leg in an air cast.
One bright spot was Codi Runyan - out with a herniated disc in her back - pinch-hitting against Houston and delivering a single in the fifth inning.
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas - Brittany Cuevas didn't come to the post-game media conference on Friday, but that probably didn't have much to do with the pain of an extra-inning loss.
The record-setting freshman pitcher for UL was playing on one leg at the end of the College Station regional game against Houston. The media had to wait as she was taken to have a gimpy right knee examined.
And Cuevas wasn't making the trip alone, either.
Former Comeaux star Desi Chatman exited the softball complex at Texas A&M University on crutches and her left knee in an air cast after being injured in the seventh inning.
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Throw in regular shortstop Cody Runyan already out of the lineup with a herniated disc in her back, and the only thing missing for the Cajuns when they left the field Friday was a fife, a drum and a tattered flag.
"I will never make excuses, but we do have some issues," UL coach Stefni Lotief said after Friday's heart-wrenching 4-3 loss. "We'll come back (today) and play - don't worry. I'm just not sure who it will be with yet."
Being honest, it's hard to see the Cajuns not going two-and-through at a regional for just the second time in the program's 17 trips. That's simply the reality Lotief is dealing with.
Cuevas was injured early against the Cougars and had her knee taped by the third inning. She hobbled noticeably throughout the remainder of the game, and at times could be seen walking off the field crying between innings.
Chatman hit the ball that turned into a two-run error by Houston and extended the game into extra innings. On the play, though, the senior's college career may have ended after her knee buckled while rounding first base.
Nothing against Houston, but a healthy UL club probably comes to College Station and duplicates the 5-0 and 14-0 wins it posted at Lamson Park a month ago. But that's not the Cajun team currently available.
And for Lotief, that reality created a matter-of-fact exchange at the press conference.
"We're not looking to the future. We're here today to win because that's what we're about," she said. "But if what you're asking me is ...
"Do I think our future is bright? Yes.
"Do I think this is a rebuilding year? Yes.
"Do I expect to win this weekend? Yes.
"Do I think we competed as hard as we can? Yes."
And don't think Lotief was being uncooperative, because she wasn't. (I should know, I pressed for those comments.)
It's just a tough situation when a team that ended the season ranked No. 23 in the nation and was 5-3 against ranked opponents can't play to its potential because of injuries.
Everyone knows that John Curtis star Ashley Brignac is coming to UL next year and that UL kept Teurlings' Donna Bourgeois in Lafayette, so the pitching depth issues right now will be solved.
Put Brignac and Bourgeois together in some combination with Cuevas on the mound and let's play - UCLA, Arizona; it really doesn't matter.
That, though, doesn't help the Cajuns this weekend.
"It's not like we're not trying," UL first baseman Lacey Bertucci said. "But trying is overrated - at some point you've got to get it done.
"We're not right now and that's the story."
And it's a story that will probably write its final chapter today. Sadly.
Bob Heist is sports editor for The Daily Advertiser. He can be reached at (337) 289-6402 or bheist@theadvertiser.com
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COLLEGE STATION, Texas - It's funny how a team's perspective can change in a month. But Houston proved Friday that it's not hard at all to go from humbled to hungry.
"This is huge," the Cougars' Haley Valis said after blasting a walk-off home run in the ninth inning to beat UL, 4-3, in the first game of the College Station NCAA Softball Regional.
"Earlier in the season, we had a big fallout against them and they beat us up pretty good. More than anything else with this game, we wanted to prove ourselves to them - and I think we did."
One month ago to the day on April 18, Conference USA champion Houston (43-16) came to Lamson Park and absorbed 5-0 and 14-0 losses. And the stats from that doubleheader reflected the scores.
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UL led in runs (19-0), hits (18-3) and home runs (6-0). In a duel that played out again Friday, freshman Brittany Cuevas fired a two-hitter with no walks and nine strikeouts to easily beat two-time C-USA pitcher of the year Angel Shamblin.
That, though, wasn't the case Friday in the first postseason meeting between the schools.
Tweaking her knee early in the game, Cuevas (31-10) gave a gutty performance, but walks and home runs proved too much to overcome.
In the first inning, Cuevas walked leadoff batter Katie Bush and then surrendered a two-run homer to Elaina Nordstrom. A one-out walk to Nordstrom in the third set-up an RBI double by Laura Durham as Houston grabbed a 3-0 lead.
Then, of course, came game hero Valis after the Cajuns (46-17) tied the score in the seventh inning with two unearned runs.
The crazy prelude to the game-winning homer was UL appeared to have wiggled out of a potential jam in the ninth inning following an unassisted double play by Tara Hamilton. But then the Cougars' sophomore second baseman took a 1-0 pitch from Cuevas well beyond the fence in left-center field.
The win was just the second in program history at the regional level for Houston.
"I hate to lose, but it is what it is," UL coach Stefni Lotief said. "We didn't pitch as well as we needed and we had (scoring) opportunities that came up short. When I look back, that's what this game was all about."
Trailing 3-0, UL clawed within two runs of Houston in the fifth inning, but missed a golden opportunity that came back to haunt the team.
Intentionally walking Holly Tankersley to load the bases, the Cougars did give up an RBI single to Laci Bertucci. But Shamblin escaped further damage by striking Desi Chatman out for the second time and coaxing a pop-out by Melissa Verde.
In the earlier 5-0 loss against UL, Shamblin gave up five earned runs, including two-run homers to Bertucci and Chatman.
"That was a calculated risk walking Tankersley, but the percentages between getting a force out or them hitting a grand slam seemed to work in our favor," Houston coach Kyla Holas said. "And that shows why Angel is our conference's pitcher of the year. She did what she needed to do to stop them from having a big inning."
In the seventh, UL was down to its last out with Karli Hubbard and Tankersley on base. And it looked like the game was over when Chatman slapped a hard grounder to Houston shortstop Amanda Grote.
Grote's throw to second base for the game-ending force out, though, went well down the right-field line, allowing both Hubbard and Tankersley to score.
Cuevas then stranded two runners in the Cougars' at-bat in the seventh to force extra innings.
But the Cajuns never threatened as Shamblin retired the next six batters she faced. That led to Vails hitting the second walk-off homer against Cuevas in the last five games.
"You've kind of got to flush it," Bertucci said. "We still have Saturday and Sunday. We can't live in the past."
In an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. today, UL meets (Texas A&M or Sam Houston State). The (Aggies or Bearkats) dropped their regional opener x-x to (Texas A&M or Sam Houston State) in Friday's late game.
The regional-opening loss was just the fourth in 17 trips for UL (1991, '92, 2000, '02). Only in 1991 have the Cajuns been eliminated in two straight games. After being swept out of the Sun Belt Conference tournament, the loss was also the third straight for UL and its fourth in five games.
"Maybe it's a confidence thing, or maybe it's we're coming off a bad series at the conference tournament," Lotief said. "But the bottom line is we have to play better if we want to stay around."
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Sorry Icitsh, I didn't see your question. No, I just watched it on the internet link. I cannot tell what they can or cannot do to finish out this regional. This team has, at times, played extremely well, and at other times showed signs of a weakness or two. So much rides on pitching. Cuevas has great stuff, but has had occasional costly miscues. I could not tell how much of our batting was lack of confidence, the Houston pitcher hitting her spots, and/or the large strike zone.Quote:
Originally Posted by lcitsh
The TV angle wasn't great for judging that strike zone... but at times, I could swear a pitch was a good foot off the plate and the guy would ring up a strike. Once, the Houston catcher jumped up, and she was a very tall girl, to snatch a high fast ball. It may have been a riser, but how that was a strike blew me away. I watched for a similar strike zone call when Cuevas was pitching, and it was either not happening, or Cuevas failed to realize what she could have gotten away with. JMO
Ok it's not working for me yet with the Live Video, hopefully only because it's not streaming yet.
Anyway, Houston beat Texas A&M 8-1 today so this could get very interesting...
http://all-access.cstv.com/cstv/play...ve&media=29645Quote:
Originally Posted by ULforlife
(Better link)
The ladies are having a tough time just like their male counterparts. The good news is they haven't trailed all game. But they've been tied 1-1 for several innings and are in extra innings. They just have not been able to get a clutch hit all day. After a lead-off HR, the Cajuns have not been able to get much going against the Bearkat's pitcher. We did have a runner on third with 1 out in the 6th or 7 th inning, but were unable to get her home. I wasn't worried about losing this game until then. Now I am afraid we will have to have a minor miracle to win this game. Hopefully one of the ladies will step up and get that big hit!
Game over, ladies fall 2-1. Very disappointing finish to a surprisingly good year. In a "rebuilding year", they accomplished quite a lot. But for some reason, the ladies just couldn't get it done the last 2-3 weeks. It's a shame because they did so many positive things this year. But all that will be remembered is how they finished, 2 & BBQ in the SBC tourney and 2 & BBQ in the NCAA Regionals. I guess the fatigue and injuries caught up with them. They were NOT close to being the same team we saw earlier in the season. I believe the fact that there were so many freshman played a significant role. Even though most said that by now the freshmen were not rookies any more, I think the stress of the season took a toll they weren't used to. Next year we all look forward to the season with great anticipation and equally great expectations (can you say WCWS?). But let's not forget the great legacy this year's seniors gave to the program! Thanks!