Lady Cajun softball opens Sun Belt competition today

[NewsCopy]

Don't be surprised if the Sun Belt Conference tightens up this year.

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns waltzed through league competition with an 18-0 mark en route to a school-record 60-8 record and an NCAA Regional berth in 2004, and the Cajuns are the only champions the Sun Belt has ever had in the sport.

But the Cajuns expect challenges this time around, especially if they don't match their usual standard of excellence.

Florida International is 22-16 entering league play and is normally one to stir things up, but Western Kentucky (15-12) and New Mexico State (17-19) are also capable in the middle of the pack ahead of North Texas (7-19) and Middle Tennessee (6-21).

The Cajuns (24-7, No. 14 in the nation) are in search of consistency as they host New Mexico State today and Sunday in a pair of 1 p.m. doubleheaders to get conference play started.

"We got exposed a little bit in the Kia Klassic and (at home) against Arizona," co-head coach Michael Lotief said. "These last three weeks, we've done some soul-searching. We have to fix some things, and that's scary."

As usual, the Cajuns are led by senior pitcher Brooke Mitchell, UL's career leader in both victories (108) and strikeouts (1,189). But rib problems have hampered Mitchell in 2005 and she hasn't been her usual dominant self despite a 0.82 ERA and a 17-6 record.

That literally leaves Louisiana a smaller margin for error. In a 10-3 loss at home to Arizona, UL had three earned runs to the Wildcats' two yet provided the visitors the edge they needed with their own defensive mistakes.

"We've got to catch the ball, especially with Brooke at about 80 percent," Lotief said.

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

[DaddyCajun]

Anyone know what the scores were for todays games against NMSU?


Was at the mens game, Cajuns win 15-6 I think was the final score!

DaddyCajun!!

[NOCajun]

From RaginCajuns.com:

>>>Bertucci Home Run Provides the Offense in Sun Belt Opener

No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette tops New Mexico State 1-0 behind 15-strikeout performance from Brooke Mitchell

Saturday, April 9, 2005

LAFAYETTE – Lacey Bertucci provided the offense with her 11th home run of the season and Brooke Mitchell tied her season-high with 15 strikeouts as the 14th-ranked Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team defeated New Mexico State 1-0 in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams here Saturday afternoon at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park.

The win improved the Cajuns to 5-0 all-time in Sun Belt openers and extends the win streak over New Mexico State to 17 straight games. Louisiana stretched its overall Sun Belt winning streak to 22 games and its home field SBC streak also reached 22 straight.

Mitchell’s 15 strikeouts were the most she’s ever had in a Sun Belt opener and her 14th double digit strikeout performance of the season.

The Ragin’ Cajuns (25-7, 1-0 Sun Belt) collected six hits off of NMSU starter Sarah Seagraves (2003 Big 12 Freshman of the Year), but only Bertucci could deliver a run-scoring base hit. Bertucci’s solo home run led off the second inning and was the only run scored in the contest.

The Aggies (17-20, 0-1 Sun Belt) never threatened Mitchell who carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning, but provided her with a challenge in their last at bat.

Sarah O’ Neill got NMSU’s lone hit of the contest when she led off with a bloop single into shallow left field. Mailei Hilva followed with a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by third baseman Tiffany Hebert who opted for the force at second. Pinch runner Cassandra Gonzales beat out the throw and NMSU had two baserunners.

Rose Tirre sent a grounder to Mitchell that the senior ace scooped up but dropped as she went around for the turn. The result was bases loaded with on outs.

After a conference in the circle, Mitchell went to work at escaping the jam and preserving the lead. She induced a pop up off the bat of Rebecca Lebsack for the first out. That was followed up by back-to-back strikeouts of pinch hitters Nicky Bernal and Lindsay Hainzinger to clinch the victory.

The two strikeouts moved Mitchell into sole possession of 12th place on the all-time NCAA Division I career strikeouts list at 1,204. During the game she passed up Lisa Ishikawa (Northwestern, Ill.) and Jocelyn Forest (California).

Louisiana had a chance to create some breathing room in the second inning. Crystal George lofted a single into left field then a two-out walk by Tiffany Hebert and infield single from Jill Robertson loaded the bases for Danyele Gomez. The runners were stranded when it was determined that one of Gomez’s swings was a foul bunt with two strikes and as a result she was called out - it appeared as though Gomez was attempting checking her swing.

The two teams wrapped up their Saturday doubleheader with game two at 3:35 p.m.

-- Ragin’ Cajuns --<<<

[NOCajun]

From RaginCajuns.com:

>>>Bryant's Home Run Produces the Offense in Game Two, Cajuns Sweep Sun Belt Opener

No. 14 Louisiana-Lafayette gets three runs in the first inning off of Brittany Bryant’s third home run of the season to complete sweep of New Mexico State

Saturday, April 9, 2005

LAFAYETTE – For the second straight game the 14th-ranked Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns softball team got its offense off of a home run. Game two of Saturday’s Sun Belt-opening doubleheader with New Mexico State saw Brittany Bryant club her third home run of the season to send the Cajuns past NMSU 3-0 and complete the opening day sweep of the visitors.

The win was the Ragin' Cajuns’ 23rd straight overall in Sun Belt Conference regular season play dating back to the 2003 season and allowed the team to sweep a doubleheader for the 30th time out of 34 chances in SBC action. Louisiana has now swept 59 out of 68 doubleheaders it has competed in under co-head coaches Stefni and Michael Lotief.

Heather Bobbitt relieved Brooke Mitchell after the first inning and pitched six innings, striking out 10 NMSU hitters. Bobbitt allowed just one base hit and it was an infield grounder that saw Kasey Sandlin beat out Lacey Bertucci in a foot race at first base.

Bobbitt’s performance added to Bryant’s three-run home run that helped Louisiana (26-7, 2-0 Sun Belt) pick up its 20th home victory of the season – the seventh straight season with at least 20 victories at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park, setting a new school record.

The Cajuns wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.

Jill Robertson led off the bottom of the first inning with an infield single to shortstop and two batters later Lacey Bertucci drew a one-out walk from NMSU starter Stephanie Carrasco.

Bryant brought both baserunners home and gave the Cajuns the early 3-0 lead when she lofted a towering shot into the left field gap that landed a few feet beyond the left field fence for her third home run of the season.

That’s all of the offense that Bobbitt would need as she put forth an almost carbon copy effort of Mitchell from game one. Bobbitt struck out the first five batters that she faced and NMSU (17-21, 0-2 Sun Belt) didn’t hit a ball into the outfield until Stacy Knight flew out to center field to end the fifth inning.

Louisiana loaded the bases in the fourth inning for Danyele Gomez, but she hit a line drive that NMSU shortstop Rebecca Lebsack made a leaping jump and caught for the final out of the inning.

The win was Louisiana's 23rd straight Sun Belt victory at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park and improved the program to 32-1 all-time in the facility in SBC games.

Bobbitt tied her career-high for strikeouts and lowered her season ERA to 2.07. The six-inning effort was her second-longest outing of the season.

The Ragin’ Cajuns increased their series lead over NMSU to 18-0 and have now tossed four straight shutouts against the Aggies. The Cajuns pitching staff will enter Sunday’s doubleheader having not allowed a run to NMSU over the last 24 1/3 innings played between the two programs.

No. 14 Louisiana and New Mexico State will wrap up the four-game series with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Sunday, April 10 at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park.

Louisiana 3, New Mexico State 0 (Apr 09, 2005 at Lafayette, La.) (Game 2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
New Mexico State.... 000 000 0 - 0 1 0 (17-21, 0-2 SUN BELT)
Louisiana.... 300 000 X - 3 5 1 (26-7, 2-0 SUN BELT)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: New Mexico State - Carrasco. Louisiana - Mitchell; Bobbitt(2).
Win-Bobbitt(5-0) Loss-Carrasco(5-8) T-1:59 A-382
HR UL - Bryant.

GAME NOTES:
* Ragin' Cajuns 23rd straight Sun Belt regular season win overall and 23rd straight Sun Belt regular season win at home.

* Louisiana now leads the all-time series with NMSU 18-0.

* Cajuns win their 20th home game of the season - the 7th straight season with at least 20 victories at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park (a new school record)

* Heather Bobbitt ties her career-high for strikeouts with 10 over six innings.

* Brittany Bryant's first home run since Feb. 12 vs. Mississippi State.

* Cajuns fourth straight shutout of NMSU and 12th all-time in the series. Aggies have played 10 games at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park and scored only three runs.

-- Ragin’ Cajuns --<<<