Cajuns Gain Revenge, Top Notre Dame 5-3

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 1, 2003

CAJUNS GAIN REVENGE, TOP NOTRE DAME 5-3 Louisiana-Lafayette moves one step closer to sixth straight Louisiana Classics championship

LAFAYETTE – Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team received contributions from each spot in the lineup in posting a 5-3 win over Notre Dame in game 8 of the 17th Annual Louisiana Classics here at Lady Cajun Park.

Jill Robertson, Danyele Gomez and Brittany Bryant each were 2-for-4 and redshirt freshman Afton Thoms picked up the win in the circle as the Ragin' Cajuns (9-2) improved to 3-1 in tournament play and more importantly avenged an 8-5 loss to Notre Dame in 9 innings on Friday.

Notre Dame falls to 2-2 in tournament play and had its two-game winning streak snapped by the Ragin' Cajuns. On Friday, the Irish snapped UL Lafayette's 21-game Louisiana Classics winning streak. ND (5-6) must now win and hope for a Cajuns loss to McNeese State to have any shot at the tournament title.

After a scoreless first inning which saw the Cajuns strand one runner and the Irish strand three, Notre Dame cracked the runs column first when Nicole deFau hit a home run to left center for a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second.

It didn't take long for Louisiana-Lafayette to respond. The Ragin' Cajuns used the “long ball” to reclaim the lead for good. The Cajuns hit two homers in the third to take a 2-1 lead. UL Lafayette ended the game with three home runs and has hit 11 in four tournament games and 18 this season in 11 games.

Senior first baseman and Lafayette native Summar Lapeyrouse hit a monster home run to left field that was deposited over the bleachers and past the oak trees and the game was knotted 1-1. It was her first home run of the young season.

Fellow senior and All-American third baseman Becky McMurtry belted her third home run of the season and the tournament two batters later and the Cajuns were on top 2-1 after 2 ˝ innings of play.

Thoms retired the Irish in order in the bottom half of the third.

The Cajuns added to their lead in their next at bat, scoring two more runs in the fourth inning. After Gomez grounded out to third base to open the inning for Louisiana-Lafayette, catcher Joy Webre drew a walk. That was followed by a single to right center by Brittany Bryant.

Webre and Bryant were both advanced one base by a wild pitch from ND starting pitcher Heather Booth. Lauren Castle was the next batter for the Cajuns and she would draw another walk to load the bases right after Notre Dame head coach DeAnna Gumpf was tossed by home plate umpire Tony Terry for arguing balls and strikes.

After Castle's walk, Lapeyrouse was issued a free pass to score Webre and put the Cajuns up 3-1. The lead moved to 4-1 when sophomore left fielder Crystal George hit a single through the left side that played Bryant. George's hit chased Booth from the game and in came reliever Carrie Wisen. Wisen got Robertson to strike out looking to prevent any further damage.

The Irish had their chances in the final four innings but stranded six runners. ND pulled to within 4-2 in its half of the fourth when Andria Bledsoe scored. Bledsoe was on second and advance to third base when Liz Hartmann hit a single to center field. On the relay home, Webre picked up the ball and attempted to try to throw out Hartmann going to second. That's when Bledsoe took off from third and scored the Irish's second run of the game.

Robertson added an insurance run for the Cajuns in the sixth inning with a line drive home run over the outfield fence in left center field. It was Robertson's second dinger of the tournament and third of the season.

ND pulled closer in the seventh inning when Bledsoe hit a towering shot to dead center field to cut the lead to 5-3. It was Bledsoe's third home run of the tournament. Thoms would get Lisa Mattison to ground to Robertson for the final out.

Booth (4-3) who had stifled the Cajuns bats in Friday's come-from-behind win was roughed up for her first runs of the tournament. Booth allowed four Cajuns runs on five hits in 3 1/3 innings of work in the circle.

Lapeyrouse led all Cajuns with two RBI and she improved her tournament batting average to .417. Lapeyrouse is 5-for-12 with one home run, three doubles and three RBI.

UL Lafayette will wrap up tournament play on Sunday, March 2 at 1 p.m. against McNeese State (2-9). Notre Dame will face Northwestern State (1-10) at 11 a.m. in the opener of day three action on Sunday.

-- Louisiana Classics --

University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics

Cajuns Gain Revenge, Top Notre Dame 5-3

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