NORMAN, Okla. -- The No. 14-ranked Louisiana-Lafayette softball team slammed four home runs -- tying an NCAA tournament single-game record -- in a 7-5 victory over Oregon on Friday in an NCAA regional opener at the University of Oklahoma.
The victory sets up the Ragin' Cajuns (51-8), the regional's No. 3 seed, with a showdown at 1 p.m. today against top-seeded Oklahoma, in a rematch of their regional final of a year ago. The Sooners blanked Wichita State, 2-0.
Louisiana (51-8) teed off on Oregon's Amy Harris for the second time in postseason play. Harris was the pitcher of record in the Cajuns' 6-4 win over the Ducks in an NCAA regional two years ago in Fullerton, Calif., which propelled UL-Lafayette into the Women's College World Series.
On that day, Harris lasted only one-third of an inning, giving up four runs.
Friday in Norman the Cajuns touched Harris for four home runs, getting one apiece from Danyele Gomez, Lacey Bertucci, Tiffany Hebert and Joy Webre.
Hebert and Webre's homers were solo shots, but they were runs that Cajuns used after Oregon made a late push in the sixth inning.
Second-seeded Oregon (34-24) was held at bay by UL-Lafayette starter Brooke Mitchell (28-7, 0.92 earned run average), who pitched 52/3 innings while the offense built its lead.
Heather Bobbitt relieved Mitchell with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning after Beth Boskovich's three-run home run pulled Oregon within 6-5.
Bobbitt pitched 11/3 innings of hitless relief for her second save.
"It was a thriller and a well-played game on both sides," said UL co-head coach Stefni Lotief. "It was hot out there but it was nice the way we swung the bat.
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