Senior ace gets victories 105 and 106 to pass up Kyla Hall's previous record of 104 career victories

LAKE CHARLES - No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette struggled at the plate here Wednesday at Cowgirl Diamond, but saw a record-breaking performance from pitcher Brooke Mitchell to take both games of a doubleheader from McNeese State.

Louisiana-Lafayette (19-2) stranded seven runners in the opener, but used a season-best, 15-strikeout, one-hit effort from Mitchell to take game one by a final score of 1-0 - her fifth complete-game shutout of the season.

Not to be outdone in game two, Mitchell came back with the same one-hit,

15-strikeout performance to help the Ragin' Cajuns win the nightcap 3-0 and extend their winning streak to four games.

Mitchell entered the afternoon tied with Kyla Hall in career victories. Her two wins on Wednesday make the Pasadena, Texas native the Cajuns career leader in victories with 106. She is already the Cajuns career leader in appearances (139) and strikeouts (1,138).

In the opener, the Cajuns put runners on in each of the first four innings, but failed to capitalize, stranding a total of five runners. The good news was that Mitchell kept the Cowgirls at bay, striking out nine of the first 12 hitters she faced.

UL broke through in the fifth inning. Jill Robertson singled down the third base line before Danyele Gomez singled into right field, putting runners on the corners with one out. Gomez stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Brittany Bryant, scoring Robertson for the only run of the game.

Mitchell's no-hit bid was disrupted by Tonya Edlund with one out in the fifth. Joy Webre erased the runner by throwing out Edlund attempting to steal second.

Louisiana-Lafayette notched a quick run in the first inning of game two. Robertson singled, stole second and moved to third on a fly ball. She scored on a wild pitch to put the visitors up 1-0.

The Cajuns threatened to add more runs in the third. Crystal George started the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tiffany Hebert. Robertson singled to put runners on the corners, but George was thrown out at the plate on a double delayed steal. Gomez struck out to end the threat.

Mitchell struggled with her control, walking five in the first four innings.

She worked her way out of two-on, two-out jams with inning-ending strikeouts in the second and the third. Her control returned, as she struck out 11 of the 15 batters she faced since allowing a single in the third.

UL Lafayette upped its lead to 2-0 on an unearned run in the top of the sixth. Robertson reached on a throwing error by the shortstop, but was out at second on a fielder's choice by Gomez. Gomez came around to score on singles from Bryant and Lacey Bertucci.

George connected on a home run deep over the center field wall in the seventh to provide the Cajuns third run.

***Mitchell has reached double figures in strikeouts 12 times this season.

***Louisiana-Lafayette has won four in a row following a loss to #16 Georgia in the NFCA Leadoff Classic.

***UL Lafayette defeated McNeese earlier this season 10-0 on Feb. 11 and 6-0 on Feb. 12.

LOUISIANA SI