University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Wednesday, February 11
LADY CAJUN PARK
N/A
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
8
vs
0
Louisiana Tech
Gomez and Bryant Highlight Season Opening Sweep of La. Tech; Mitchell Tosses Perfect Game
2/11/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2003
LAFAYETTE – There were no first-time jitters for Danyele Gomez and Brittany Bryant here Tuesday afternoon at Lady Cajun Park.
Instead they both looked like seasoned veterans each blasting two home runs in their first two collegiate softball at bats to help lead Louisiana-Lafayette's Ragin' Cajuns softball team to a 8-0 (5), 4-0 doubleheader sweep of in-state rival Louisiana Tech in the Ragin' Cajuns 2003 season opener.
Gomez, a New Orleans native and Cabrini High School product, finished the twinbill 4-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI – five of which came in the first game. Her first official at bat was a towering shot that flew high above the left center field wall for a grand slam and an early 4-0 lead.
Bryant also had a perfect outing at the plate, going 2-for-2 with both hits being home runs and driving in three runs. Bryant, who subbed in at second base in the top of the fifth inning, ended game one with a home run to the left field bleachers that put UL Lafayette up 8-0 and induced the five-inning mercy rule.
Sophomore ace pitcher Brooke Mitchell (1-0, 0.00 ERA) threw the first perfect game of her career in game one single-handedly shutting down the Lady Techsters batting order. Mitchell, who was 20-6 last season as a freshman, struck out five, walked none, hit none and allowed no hits in her 2003 debut. Of the 15 batters she faced, six hit flied out and four hit into groundouts.
La. Tech starter Sabra Warner struggled in the throughout the entire first game, walking six and hitting four.
It was her inability to put the ball over the plate in the first inning which dug a huge hole for the Lady Techsters (1-3). Warner put Jill Robertson (hit-by-pitch), Lauren Castle (walk) and Becky McMurtry (walk) on base in the bottom of the first. After a Tiffany Grayson fouled out, Gomez delivered the grand slam and gave the Cajun a quick 4-0 lead.
Gomez hit her second home run of the game in the bottom of the third as she led off the inning with a solo shot to nearly the same part of the park.
Louisiana-Lafayette tacked on one more in the fourth on a Joy Webre single to left field that plated pinch runner Natalie Hamby. Castle led off the inning with a walk and was replaced by Hamby on the basepath. Hamby stole second and was later driven in by Webre.
The Bryant home run in the bottom of the fifth brought game one to an early halt. With the win the Ragin' Cajuns won their second straight season opener and home opener.
In game two, the Cajuns were held scoreless after two complete. UL Lafayette got on the board in its half of the third with a three-spot. Senior All-American Becky McMurtry picked up her first double of the season – and second of the game – which plated Robertson with game two's first run. Robertson drew a walk after Tiffany Hebert filed out to center field and then stole second. After Castle filed out, McMurtry delivered the first of three two-out RBI.
Junior and Spring, Texas, native Tiffany Grayson followed with an RBI single up the middle of the infield which plated McMurtry and and Gomez followed with her first collegiate double to score Grayson and put Louisiana-Lafayette on top 3-0 after three complete.
The Ragin' Cajuns tacked on an insurance run in the bottom half of the fifth when Bryant, in her second collegiate at bat of her career, launched another long home run this time over the center field wall for push the Cajuns advantage to 4-0. The home run led off the fifth for UL Lafayette.
Senior pitcher Michael Parrott (1-0, 0.00 ERA) picked up the win for UL Lafayette, tossing seven complete innings striking out two and surrendering just five hits. Tech's Kristin Rupp took the loss, her second straight on the young season, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out four.
Louisiana-Lafayette will return to action Friday, Feb. 14 when the Cajuns travel to Monroe for the UL Monroe Mardi Gras Classic. On Friday, the Cajuns will face Tulsa at 6 p.m. in the opening round. On Saturday, Feb. 15, Louisiana-Lafayette will wrap up Pool B play with games against Southeastern Louisiana at 1 p.m. and Auburn at 3 p.m. before bracket play begins at 5 p.m.
The next home game for the Ragin' Cajuns will be Friday, Feb. 28 at 4:15 p.m. against McNeese State in the Louisiana Classics
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