University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Evans, Mitchell Lead Cajuns to Victories at Seminole Challenge
3/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Friday, March 5, 2004
The Ragin' Cajuns improved to 22-2 overall on the season.
In game one, junior pitcher Brooke Mitchell increased her season strikeout total to 200, striking out five UConn batters to give the Cajuns a 2-1 victory. Mitchell improved to 15-1 overall the season, while Jessica Gurney fell to 1-3.
After each time retired the first three batters of the opening frame, UConn began the top of the second with a pair of base hits by first baseman Maggie Arbogast and Jennifer D'Angelo, giving the Huskies two base runners with nobody out.
Jennifer Ward then laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third with one out. UL Lafayette starting pitcher Heather Bobbitt struck out the last two batters, allowing the Cajuns to escape the Huskies' early scoring threat.
The Cajuns then countered with a scoring threat of their own in the bottom half of the second. Designated player Ashley Evans led off the inning with a single to left and then stole second base before Lacey Bertucci struck out. With one out, Brittany Bryant laced a single through the left side, advancing Evans to third. Bryant then stole second to give the Cajuns two runners in scoring position. A Joy Webre walk loaded the bases for the Cajuns.
Junior leftfielder Crystal George then grounded into a double play, leaving the game scoreless after two complete innings.
In the bottom of the third, UL Lafayette got on the scoreboard first. Tiffany Hebert led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second on a Hillary Guidry sacrifice bunt. Sophomore third baseman and All-American Danyele Gomez singled home Hebert, giving the Cajuns a 1-0 lead.
Mandy Schettini then took Bobbitt's first pitch of the fourth inning over the left centerfield wall, tying the game at 1-1. Bobbitt denied the Huskies any other scoring opportunity, allowing only one more hit, to get the Cajuns out of the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Evans' single and Bertucci's double gave the Cajuns runners in scoring position with nobody out before UConn starting pitcher Jessica Gurney retired the next three Cajuns.
Mitchell came into the game for the Cajuns in the top of the fifth inning in relief of Bobbitt, striking out the side effectively.
Holly Tankersley drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the fifth. Gomez then singled to the shortstop, advancing Tankersley to third. Hebert grounded to the shortstop, ending the scoring chance for the Cajuns.
Leading off the bottom of the sixth, Bertucci smashed a solo homerun over the left centerfield wall to give the Cajuns a 2-1 advantage.
Gomez, Evans, Bertucci and Bryant each had two hits for the Cajuns.
In game two, Mitchell retired the side in the first inning for the Cajuns. In the top half of the second, George hit a towering solo homerun over the left field wall to give the Cajuns an early 1-0 lead over Penn State.
As the case in the first inning, Mitchell retired the Nittany Lions in order in the bottom of the second.
In the top of the third, Penn State starting pitcher Missy Beseres forced Hebert and Tankersley to fly out, while striking out Guidry to retire the Cajuns in order. In the bottom half of the inning, Mitchell again retired the side, securing the 1-0 Cajuns lead.
After a Gomez strikeout in the fourth, Evans got her third hit of the day on a double over the left fielder. Bertucci then flied out to the right fielder for the second out.
George laced a single through the middle of the infield, bringing home Evans for a 2-0 advantage. An error by Penn State center fielder Jen Williams allowed Bryant to advance to third. Pinch hitter Leslie Pierce grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning for the Cajuns.
Mitchell retired 11-straight Nittany Lions, before Leigh Murray ended Mitchell's attempt for a perfect game with a solo shot over the left centerfield wall. Katie Stauffer followed with a stand-up double down the leftfield line.
With two runners on in the top of the fifth, Evans launched her second home run of the season, a three-run bomb over the left field wall, increasing the Cajuns lead to 5-1.
In the top of the seventh, Tankersley had a two-out walk. Gomez then hit a chopper back to the pitcher and reached base on a fielding error. Evans followed with a hard liner to right field and a Leigh Murray fielding error allowed Tankersley and Gomez to score to increase the lead to 7-1. Evans was thrown out at home to end the inning.
Mitchell allowed only base runner over the last three innings to secure the victory for the Cajuns. Mitchell improved to 16-1 overall, while Penn State's Missy Beseres dropped to 1-5.
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns will play host and No. 6-ranked Florida State at 11:30 a.m. (EST) here at the Seminole Softball Complex, followed by a 4:30 p.m. (EST) match-up with the University of Rhode Island
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
