Lady Cajun junior outfielder is power source

Danyele Gomez isn't thinking home run every time she steps to the plate.

Sometimes it seems that way, since the junior outfielder has delivered 39 circuit shots in her college softball career for Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns, but Gomez is more likely to be thinking about the game situation, and what the Cajuns need in order to win, with every at-bat.

"When I'm at the plate, it depends on the game situation and where the runners are," said Gomez, a career .326 hitter. "I don't just go up there looking for home runs every time. It's what needs to be done for the team.

"If we need a sacrifice fly, I can do that. Or, if we need to roll it around I can roll it around."

Gomez is second on the team this year with a .358 batting average, with six home runs and 19 runs batted in, trailing only Lacey Bertucci (.373, 9, 27) in offensive production.

"When I'm in a groove at the plate, it's relaxing," Gomez said. "I feel comfortable up there. I don't have anything to worry about.

"I've always loved hitting, and that feeling of being at the plate and competing."

She has already been a part of 129 victories since arriving in 2003, including a Women's College World Series appearance as a freshman and a school-record 60-8 finish last season.

One of those 2004 wins was a momentous 5-0 shutout of Arizona, knocking the Wildcats out of the NCAA Regional they were hosting and costing them a return trip to the College World Series.

Gomez homered twice in that game and went 3-for-4 against All-American pitcher Alicia Hollowell to back the 6-hit pitching of UL's own All-American, Brooke Mitchell.

Hollowell and Mitchell will square off again this weekend when Arizona invades Ragin' Cajun Softball Park for a three-game series against Louisiana.

It's the highest-profile visit by a team since UCLA played here in the 1997 NCAA Regional, and the biggest invading foe in regular-season play in the program's history.

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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com