The Book: 2003 Softball

<blockquote><p align=justify>In game two, the Cajuns made it a perfect day in the win column with a 9-1 6-inning, mercy-rule pouncing of SEC-member Auburn (8-8) in the first meeting between the two schools.

Auburn scored in the bottom of the first inning off Cajuns starter Brooke Mitchell, but she settled down after that, holding the Tigers scoreless the remaining five innings and striking out eight.

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Mitchell ended the tournament with 20 strikeouts and no earned runs in 12 innings.

Louisiana-La's offense backed Mitchell up with four runs, all unearned, over the next two innings, pushing across a pair in the both second and third innings.

McMurtry plated Robertson in the fourth inning and Brittany Bryant hit her third home run of the season with a solo shot in the fifth to increase the Cajuns lead to 6-1.

The Cajuns added three more in the sixth to enforce the mercy rule, as Grayson and Castle each had RBI singles.

Grayson ended the Auburn game 2-for-3 with two RBI and was a combined 4-for-8 with six RBI on the day.-->

<center><i>Louisiana sophomore hurler tossed perfect game in season opener</i></cneter><blockquote><p align=justify>LOUISIANA Là - The season got off to a “perfect” start for Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball pitcher Brooke Mitchell last week and on Tuesday she was rewarded with the Sun Belt Conference’s first Pitcher of the Week Award for the 2003 regular season.

The Pasadena, Texas, native finished the week with a 2-1 record and allowed only one earned run in 17 innings of work in the pitcher’s circle for the Ragin’ Cajuns and enters this week’s action sporting a 0.41 ERA.

Mitchell began the season in fine fashion, tossing a five-inning perfect game against Louisiana Tech last Tuesday. She struck out five Lady Techsters, walked none and hit none in tossing the first perfect outing of her collegiate career and sixth shutout.

She ended the week striking out 25 batters and walking only two in 17 innings. She struck out 12 batters Friday in a hard-luck 2-0 loss to Tulsa _ one in which the Golden Hurricane won on a two-out error in the bottom of the sixth inning.

In her final start of the week she tossed a complete-game four-hitter against Auburn while striking out eight in leading Louisiana-Lafayette to a 9-1 mercy-rule rout of the SEC-member Tigers.

Mitchell finished the ULM Mardi Gras Classic with 20 strikeouts over 13 innings. She allowed just nine hits the entire week. She has 189 career strikeouts and needs just 11 more to reach 200 in her brief career.</blockquote><i>ULSI</i>

<center><i>Brooke Mitchell strikes out 24 batters in 11.1 innings</i></center><blockquote><p align=justify>Louisiana's Lady Cajuns softball continued their winning ways with a doubleheader sweep of Nicholls State on Wednesday night. The Cajuns got the better of a pitching duel to win the first game 1-0, while the Cajuns used four early runs to best the Lady Colonels 6-3 in the nightcap.

Brooke Mitchell won both games for the Cajuns, improving to 4-1 on the season. The sophomore hurler struck out 24 batters in 11 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and no earned runs.

The Cajuns (6-1) jumped on game two starter Nicole Wagner early. Tiffany Grayson led off the second inning with a double to deep center field. Brittany Bryant hit a shot to right center that scored Grayson. Bryant moved to third on a two-base error by centerfielder Jennifer Paray. Then, Crystal George's bloop single over second base scored Bryant to give Louisiana a 2-0 cushion.

The Lady Cajuns added two more runs in the third. Jill Robertson led off with a single and scored on a double by Becky McMurtry. McMurtry advanced to third on a groundout by Danyele Gomez, and then scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Grayson.

The Lady Colonels (3-3) came back to score three unearned runs on starter Michael Parrott. Chrissy Jenkins started the bottom of the third with a single. Lindsey Yelverton reached on a fielder’s choice and Jenkins moved to second on the play on an error by Robertson. Dione Meier reached on a two-base error by Grayson, which scored Jenkins and Yelverton. Meier then scored on a bloop single by Coleman.

Mitchell came on to pitch with two outs in the third, replacing Parrott, who allowed three runs, all unearned, on three hits.

While Mitchell held the hosts at bay, the Cajuns tacked on two more runs in the fifth. Robertson was able to get on base after a two base error by Stephanie Sasser. McMurtry advanced Robertson to third with a groundout to second, before a Gomez single plated Robertson. Grayson then singled down the third base line to score Gomez, who had advanced to second on a balk by Wagner.

Louisiana put runners on the corners with no outs in the sixth, but squandered a chance to pad their lead. NSU collected a pair of strikeouts and picked a runner off third base to keep the game within reach.
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<center>GAME ONE RECAP</center><p align=justify>In the first game, an excellent pitcher's duel was decided by one inning of costly errors.

Crystal George led off the top of the sixth with a single up the middle. Jill Robertson lined out to left field before Becky McMurtry's grounder was booted by Teri Clouatre at second base, giving the Cajuns runners on first and second with just one out. Danyele Gomez loaded the bases after her fly
ball was dropped in right field by Jamee Henry. Tiffany Hebert, who pinch ran for George, scored the games only run on a wild pitch.

Nicholls State's starter Dione Meier entered the game fresh off pitching a no-hitter at Ole Miss. The junior transfer from Galveston College pitched well, but took the hard-luck loss. She allowed only four hits and no earned runs, while striking out 13.

Her counterpart, Brooke Mitchell, improved to 3-1 on the season by dominating the Lady Colonels. Mitchell allowed only one hit and tied a career-high by striking out 15 batters, only facing one tough inning.

The Lady Colonels threatened in the bottom of the fourth. Mitchell struck out Lindsay Coleman, but she reached base on a wild pitch. After Kristin Blanchard struck out, Clouatre walked. Both runners advanced to second and third following a passed ball. Mitchell struck out the next two batters, giving her four K’s in the inning, to escape the fourth unscathed.

George picked-up two of the Cajuns four hits.

The Cajuns will return home to host the Louisiana Classics Feb. 28-Mar. 2.
</blockquote><i>ULSI</i>

Lady Cajuns win tonight 5-3. If I remember correctly 3 homeruns and 12 hits. A good win!:D :D :D

Luv those lady cajuns. :cool:

<center><i>Lady Cajuns cruise past MSU for Classics title.</i></center><blockquote><p align=justify>LAFAYETTE — Jill Robertson has left the building.

So has Danyele Gomez.

So has Lauren Castle.

So has Becky McMurtry.

Louisiana’s Lady Cajuns made short work of the McNeese State Cowgirls in Sunday’s final game of the Louisiana Classics, long-balling their way to a 5-inning, 11-0 victory to clinch the tournament title at Lady Cajun Park.

Coach Stefni Lotief’s team went 4-1 on the weekend. For all intents and purposes, they sewed up the crown with Saturday night’s 5-3 win over Notre Dame, which finished 3-2 with a 12-7 Sunday win over Northwestern State.

McMurtry was named Most Outstanding Player on the Cajun-laden All-Tournament Team after lashing her fourth home run of the weekend in Sunday’s runaway win and going 6-for-15 with 9 RBI in the five games.

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The Cowgirls could quickly see that it was going to be a long day. Robertson led off with a long drive to center field which was caught at the wall by Rikki Fontenot, only to have the ball pop out of her glove and over the fence.

UL broke open the game in the second with eight runs. Crystal George and Tiffany Hebert stroked one-out singles, Robertson walked the bases full and McMurtry ripped a two-run double to right.

Another double by Tiffany Grayson plated Robertson and a sliding McMurtry, before Gomez delivered a two-run home run to left field.

One out later, Summar Lapeyrouse singled and came home on Castle’s homer, making it 9-0.

In the third, Brittany Bryant reached on a bloop double and raced to third on a throwing error, then trotted home when McMurtry sent a rocket over the right field fence to the tennis courts beyond.

That finished McNeese starter Meghan Novak, who left in favor of Corrie Hale.

Senior Michael Parrott picked up her third victory of the weekend, tossing a one-hitter at the beleaguered Cowgirls. Only Stephanie Denham hit safely, with a leadoff single in the fourth. Parrott has not allowed an earned run in 24 1/3 innings.

Brooke Mitchell finished up for the Cajuns with a pair of strikeouts in her one inning of work.

“Our hitters work so hard every day,” Lotief said. “They do a lot of preparation, not just physically but also in the mental aspect of hitting, and I think it shows.”

For the weekend, the Lady Cajuns pounded 15 home runs and collected 24 extra base hits.

It was the sixth straight Classics crown for the program, and 13 of 17 overall.

“Everybody gets along on this team,” said pitcher Afton Thoms, who delivered the pressure win over Notre Dame on Saturday. “It’s so positive. Everybody backs everybody up, and that helps a lot.”
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<i><center>Gomez, Mitchell pace Lady Cajuns’ twinbill sweep
</i></center><blockquote><p align=justify>LAFAYETTE – Danyele Gomez continued her breakout freshman campaign, blasting three home runs and driving in nine runs and Brooke Mitchell tossed her first career no-hitter as Louisiana's Lady Cajuns softball team cruised to a 4-0, 13-5 doubleheader sweep of Southern Mississippi here Sunday at Lady Cajun Park.

Gomez was 3-for-3 with two home runs and six RBIs in the second game of the afternoon twinbill to pace the Lady Cajuns offense which belted five home runs in that game.

The Metairie native ended the day 4-for-6 with nine RBIs and three home runs. She now has six homers this season and 18 RBIs and raised her team-leading average to .413.

Louisiana (12-2) concluded the day with seven home runs to run its season total to 29 home runs through 14 games for an average of 2.1 home runs per game. The Lady Cajuns have hit 22 home runs in their last seven outings. Louisiana is now on pace to hit 103 home runs which would easily shatter the school record of 76 set last season.

Louisiana has won 10 of its last 11 and will conclude its current nine-game homestand at 3 p.m. today against Boston University in a doubleheader.

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“The defense played solid and backed me up,” Mitchell said. “I never even noticed that there were no hits on the scoreboard until the final out was recording. I just took it one pitch at a time.”

The Lady Cajuns jumped on the board early, plating three runs with one out in the first inning. After a Jill Robertson groundout, All-American third baseman Becky McMurtry collected the Lady Cajuns’ first hit with a double.

Junior center fielder Tiffany Grayson then drew a walk on the next at bat to give the Cajuns runners on first and second.

Gomez brought home Louisiana's first runs with her fourth home run of the season. Gomez lifted a liner over the right center field wall off of USM starter Jessica Holaway for a 3-0 lead.

Holaway (3-8) settled down after the first inning allowing just two hits the rest of the way. One of those two hits was a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth from McMurtry that gave the Cajuns the final 4-0 margin.

Mitchell (5-2, 1.06 ERA) was never threatened in her no-hit bid. She struck out five hitters and walked three and faced just one over the minimum.

“It was great to see Brooke (Mitchell) get back into the form in which she began the season with,” said head coach Stefni Lotief. “I thought she was mentally prepared for this game and as a result she went out there and helped us set the momentum for the afternoon.”

In game two, the Lady Cajuns rallied from a 3-0, first inning deficit to take a 13-5 five-inning, mercy-rule win.

The Lady Cajuns would answer the Eagles challenge in their half of the first. Gomez hit a two-out, two-run home run. That was followed by a Joy Webre walk and an RBI triple by Brittany Bryant to score Webre and tie the game 3-3.

“They jumped on us early, but the girls fought back and responded to the challenge with three runs in the first (inning),” said head coach Stefni Lotief. “As a coach, that’s when you know that your team is going to come back and fight from behind and answer the call.’’

The Cajuns continued their response to USM’s three-run first by taking the lead for good in the bottom of the third inning. Grayson led off with a triple and was brought home on a Gomez single for a 4-3 lead.

The Cajuns would push across two more runs when Webre skied a towering home run shot to the left field bleachers that put the Cajuns up 6-3. That home run chased USM starting pitcher Danielle Hatfield (1-1).

Louisiana struck for four more runs in the fourth inning to take a 10-3 lead. George led off the inning with a solo home run to left center between the light pole and the bleachers. It was George’s first home run of the season.

After a McMurtry walk and Grayson double, Gomez went yard once more with her second home run of the game to push the lead to seven runs after four complete.

USM added two runs in the fifth inning when Ashley Brenan scored on a throwing error by Webre attempting to gun down Diane Hammes going for second base. Hammes rounded third on the next at bat when Auriel Jenkins doubled to right field over Natalie Hamby and the Cajuns lead was trimmed to 10-5.

Robertson would jolt her fifth home run of the season in the Cajuns half of the fifth, a three-run job which put Louisiana on top 13-5 and ended the game in five innings by virtue of the eight-run rule after five innings. There were no outs when Robertson smashed her homer to left center field off of USM reliever Danielle Wymer.

Leslie Pierce and Crystal George both walked before Robertson stepped up to the plate and hit her game-ending three-run bomb.

“There were some hitters who did an astounding job out there today and some struggled,” Lotief said. “Tomorrow (against Boston University at 3 p.m.) we will see if those who did fare well today will come out and be ready to fight and compete.”

Grayson ended the second game 2-for-3 with a triple and a double while scoring two runs.

Thoms picks up the win in relief of Parrott and moves to 3-0 on the season. She went four innings and struck out six batters while allowing just four hits and two runs. Hatfield was saddled with the loss for the Eagles – her first loss of the season. Hatfield allowed six runs on seven hits in two innings.
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I had to leave the game in the fourth. By then the HOMERUN fun was well under way.<center><table border=6><td><img src="https://forumeus.com/images/seasons/2002-03-lady-cajun-park-a(500).jpg"></td></table><p>

<center><table border=6><td><img src="https://forumeus.com/images/seasons/2002-03-lady-cajun-park-b(500).jpg"></td></table><br>Winner of one of the HomeRun shirts.