Bertucci caps dramatic game two victory

LOUISIANA Là — Lacey Bertucci is just a freshman, but she has learned quickly what UL Lafayette softball is about.

“We always know we can do it,” Bertucci said. “That’s a given. We never give up on ourselves.”

Bertucci is living proof of that philosophy.

She sent a seventh-inning grounder up the middle to break up Amanda Nealer’s no-hitter and drive home Brittany Bryant with the game’s only run Saturday as the Ragin’ Cajuns clipped Florida International 1-0 in a classic Sun Belt Conference pitcher’s duel.

The thriller, added to a 5-0 win in game one, enabled the Cajuns to sweep the first two contests of the crucial four-game weekend series.

“She had been throwing me the curve all day,” Bertucci said of left-hander Nealer. “I struck out the first time, then flew out the second. I figured she would come outside or give me the curve. I waited for it, waited for it and she came middle-in.

“I dribbled it up the middle, and that’s all it took.”

Sometimes that’s all it takes when junior Brooke Mitchell is in the pitching circle for UL. The school’s all-time strikeout leader fanned 12 in the first game, then surged over 400 for the season in a tense seventh inning of the nightcap.

Jennifer Owens opened the FIU seventh by singling off third baseman Danyele Gomez’s glove, and Mitchell plunked Marleah Stapf as the Panthers’ designated player was squared to bunt. Kristen Perry then bunted and all were safe to load the bases.

Mitchell struck out Jennifer Powell for No. 400 in 2004 and Brittany Witherow for No. 401 before Lindsay Tippings ground out to Bertucci.

“I was nervous with the bases loaded,” Bertucci admitted, “but our defense really did it today, big-time. And, Brooke is special. She’s the heart of the team.”

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com