Sun Belt softball champs. Louisiana! Who else?
Gomez powers Cajuns to Sun Belt title
Still perfect after all these years.
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns cut it close again, but defeated host Western Kentucky 2-1 on Saturday to remain the only softball champion the Sun Belt Conference has ever known.
The Cajuns have never lost a Sun Belt Tournament game, and three-time Pitcher of the Year Brooke Mitchell made sure they wouldn't start in Saturday's finals.
Mitchell, still nursing a rib injury, watched Heather Bobbitt win games Thursday and Friday before returning to the circle in the title tilt.
With another crown safely stashed away, the 50-8 Cajuns return to Lafayette today to await their assignment in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
The team and its fans will gather at Pete's on Johnston Street for the 6:30 p.m. announcement show on ESPN News. The school has bid to host both Regional and Super Regional play at Ragin' Cajun Park.
"This wasn't so much about the streak," UL co-head coach Michael Lotief said. "These kids went out this weekend and they competed. Some of the finals in the past have been cakewalks (last year's 19-0 win over Middle Tennessee, for example), but this one was tough.
"A lot of people take for granted that we're just going to show up and win a tournament championship, but you've got to compete, make plays and handle adversity.
"The coaches don't take this for granted, and surely the kids don't."
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Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com
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Re: Sun Belt softball champs. Louisiana! Who else?
