University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
No. 6 Oklahoma
No. 6 Oklahoma Sneaks Past Cajuns 1-0 In KIA Klassic Bracket Play
3/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Friday, March 14, 2003
FULLERTON, Calif. – Erin Evans hit a bloop single to left field in the bottom of the sixth to break up Brooke Mitchell's no-hitter, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and later scored on a Leah Gulla sacrifice fly as sixth-ranked Oklahoma (24-3) escaped with a narrow 1-0 win over Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team (15-5) here Friday evening in the first game of bracket play at the 2003 KIA Klassic hosted by Cal State Fullerton at the Titan Softball Complex.
The
loss drops Louisiana-Lafayette into the consolation
bracket on Saturday, March 15 at
3
p.m.
(CST) against the loser of
Hawaii
and Fresno State's bracket game which will be played
approximately 30 minutes following the UL Lafayette-OU
game. It will be the Cajuns final game in the
tournament. OU advances in championship bracket play to
face the FSU-Hawaii winner.
Cajuns sophomore pitcher Brooke Mitchell looked impressive in the circle against the Sooners carrying the no-hit bid into the sixth inning as only three baserunners took the paths for OU.
The Sooners scored the decisive run in the bottom of the sixth on Evans leadoff single. She then advanced over to second and moved over to third base on a passed ball.
Mitchell seemed on her way out of trouble as she got pinch hitter Katie Overton to strike out swinging for the first out of the inning. The Cajuns had a chance to record the second out, but Brittany Bryant booted a grounder from Kelli Braitsch and the Sooners had runners on the corner with one out instead of two.
Gulla then followed with a high, towering sacrifice fly to deep left field to score Evans with the game-winning run.
The Cajuns had their chance to take the lead early in the game. In the second inning, Danyele Gomez and Brittany Bryant each got singles to give the Cajuns runners on first and second with one out. After a Lauren Castle strike out, Summar Lapeyrouse rifled an apparent double to left center field but Gomez was thrown out at home plate by OU center fielder Evans attempting to score and the Cajuns had to settle without a run in the inning.
UL Lafayette would strand two more runners in the sixth inning. All-American third baseman Becky McMurtry hit a double down the left field line to open the top of the sixth and Tiffany Grayson drew a walk. However, she would be stranded as OU pitcher Kami Keiter struck out Gomez and Joy Webre and got Bryant to line to short to end the threat.
Louisiana-Lafayette's final missed opportunity came in the seventh. Pinch hitter Leslie Pierce led off with an infield single and was replaced by pinch runner Tiffany Hebert. Lapeyrouse attempted to sacrifice Hebert over to second but Hebert held up on the bunt and was thrown out at second nullifying the sacrifice.
Keiter then ended the game striking out Crystal George and Jill Robertson as the Sooners escaped with a win.l
McMurtry led the Cajuns with two hits and the Cajuns had six hits as a team. Mitchell limited OU to just one hit – but it was a key hit in deciding tonight's outcome. Mitchell suffers her second tough loss of the tournament and falls to 6-4 on the season. The run allowed was unearned.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
