UL seeks fourth straight SBC tournament title.



LOUISIANA La. — Louisiana is three victories away from another Sun Belt Conference tournament title in softball.

The Ragin’ Cajuns have never lost in SBC tournament play, outscoring opponents 64-18 in 13 previous games.

They went through the entire event without allowing a run in both 2000 and 2002.

Here’s a bulletin for the other Sun Belt teams this weekend — Cajun pitchers have the No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 earned run averages in this year’s league statistics.

Pitcher of the Year Brooke Mitchell is first, of course, at 0.59, winning a school-record 38 games and striking out 451 batters.

No. 2 is freshman Heather Bobbitt (5-2), at 0.85.

Then there’s SBC Freshman of the Year Holly Tankersley (9-1), No. 3 at 1.01.

During an 18-0 run in the Sun Belt campaign, UL hurlers allowed just 16 earned runs and produced 134 strikeouts.

So, the Cajuns are all about pitching, right? Yes, and no.

Exhibit A is Tankersley. She has slugged a Sun Belt-high 17 home runs, and her 42 runs batted in are second only to the 45 of sophomore teammate Danyele Gomez, last season’s Freshman of the Year when she hammered a school-record 20 home runs.

Tankersley also has the eye of a veteran at the plate, with 39 bases on balls. Only Stephanie DeFeo’s 41 walks in 1997 is higher in UL history.

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com