University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Dreams To Come Alive For Cajuns In WCWS Opener Thursday versus Texas
5/21/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
OKLAHOMA CITY – They've seen it on television before and always dreamed of one day getting the chance to walk on the same field as did the great ones before them did so.
Beginning Thursday at 6:30 p.m., the member's of Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team will get the chance to live their dreams in the Cajuns Women's College World Series opener against No. 3 national seed Texas (47-7).
For senior All-American Becky McMurtry Thursday's game will fulfill a mission she's been on since arriving in Cajun country last season.
“I knew a trip to the World Series was going to happen once I transferred to UL Lafayette,” McMurtry said. “We came close last year, but this year we did everything right. Only eight teams in the country get to do this and to have it happen in my final year is very special.”
For local hometown heroes Summmar Lapeyrouse and Jill Robertson it's the moment they've been waiting for since growing up watching Ragin' Cajuns softball.
“I still have the newspaper articles from the last time they went to the World Series,” Lapeyrouse remarked. “It feels so unreal to be a part of it. I've always been proud to be from Lafayette, but I've never been more proud now.
“The past two years we've been very, very close and it was tough to be so close and not get there,” Robertson said. “This year is a whole different experience and it's the first time at the World Series for everybody. Growing up in Lafayette you watch the Ragin' Cajuns play your whole life and now I'm a part of it. It'll be memories that will last a lifetime.”
The Cajuns (47-9), champions of the Fullerton Regional, will be making their fourth appearance at the Women's College World Series and first since 1996 when they take the field against the Longhorns at the ASA Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium.
The Cajuns are 5-6 all-time in the WCWS and are back in Oklahoma City for the first time since 1995. The 1996 WCWS was held in Columbus, Ga.
Louisiana-Lafayette enters Thursday's game winners of 10 of its last 11 outings and are 32-4 since dropping a 1-0 decision to Oklahoma March 14 at the KIA Klassic in Fullerton, Calif.
UL Lafayette found its way to Oklahoma City behind the strong pitching of sophomore ace and 2003 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year Brooke Mitchell and timely hits from its offense.
Mitchell carried the Cajuns on her back through the winner's bracket in Fullerton tossing a no-hitter in the opener against San Diego State (6-0 win), a two-hitter against Cal State Fullerton (1-0 win) and a one-hitter of Oklahoma State (1-0 win). Through the first 21 innings in the regional, Mitchell had given up just three hits and struck out 28 batters.
Then on championship Sunday, the Pasadena, Texas, native threw a scare into the Cajuns coaching staff, players and fans when she only faced three batters in the first game against Oregon and had to leave the game after 1/3 of an inning with arm ailments.
Mitchell showed the desire and determination in the “if necessary” game and led her troops to the 6-4 win. While she wasn't her best, surrendering 10 hits to the Ducks, she never wavered in the confidence that her team was going to win and went the distance not feeling 100 percent to pitch the Cajuns to the WCWS.
The offense did its part, providing Mitchell with a five-run, first-inning cushion in the deciding game keyed by the hot bat of junior center fielder Tiffany Grayson who would homer twice in the game and drive in four runs.
The Cajuns offense, which has belted 78 home runs (new school record), and averages nearly 5.75 runs per game will provide a strong test for Texas' Cat Osterman (30-4, 0.29 ERA, 17 shutouts).
The Cajuns are led at the plate by McMurtry, a three-time All-American, who sports a .409 batting average, .799 slugging percentage, 16 doubles and 14 home runs.
The North Platte, Neb., native has a history of rocking the nation's best pitchers as was witnessed by Jennie Finch in Tucson, Ariz., last season. McMurtry was 4-for-7 with three home runs off of Finch and will look to do the same against Osterman.
UL Lafayette will counter with three other starters with double-digit home runs.
Freshman and 2003 NFCA All-American Danyele Gomez has ripped a school-record 19 home runs and leads the team with 60 RBI and 133 total bases.
Junior shortstop Jill Robertson provides a lethal weapon at the leadoff spot with her 11 home runs while catcher Joy Webre has gone yard 10 times this season.
In the circle, Mitchell (26-7, 0.90 ERA) will bring her single-season strikeout record of 275 to face the Longhorns lineup. Mitchell had gone 42 consecutive innings without an earned run allowed before last Sunday's games with Oregon.
The Pasadena, Texas, native had four no-hitters to her credit this season and six complete-game one-hitters. She enters the WCWS with 10 double-digit strikeout performances to her credit.
She will be paired in battle with UT's Osterman, the USA Softball Player of the Year, in Thursday's opener.
Osterman has won her last 14 decisions since a loss to Missouri on April 5. She has struck out 442 batters this season and is just four away from 1,000 in her young career. Opponents are hitting .086 against Osterman and she has walked just 33 batters this season in 218 innings of work. She has not allowed more than three hits in the last seven games.
As a team, Texas has won 18 straight games since a 1-0 loss to Missouri on April 5 and the Horns have won 25 of their last 27 games since the KIA Klassic.
UT has three hitters batting above .300 in Tamara Poppe (.356, 6 HR, 27 RBI), Wynter Turner (.316, 5 HR, 24 RBI) and Tina Boutelle (.312, 2 HR, 10 RBI).
The Horns are hitting .261 as a team with 64 doubles and 27 home runs. Opponents are batting just .130 against Osterman and the rest of the UT pitching staff.
Thursday's game will be the fourth meeting all-time between the two schools and first in the NCAA Tournament. Texas leads the series 2-1.
The winner of Thursday's game advances to Friday's winner's bracket game against the UCLA-Cal winner at 7 p.m. The loser has Friday off and will play an elimination game Saturday at 3 p.m. against the UCLA-Cal loser.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
