University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
No. 2 UCLA
Remarkable Season of Accomplishment Comes to a Close in 5-1 Loss to UCLA
5/24/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Saturday, May 24, 2003
With the loss, an outstanding season of accomplishment comes to a close for Louisiana-Lafayette at the place where only eight teams across the nation could claim of going to this season – Oklahoma City.
UL Lafayette closes out its season with a 47-11 record and wraps up the fourth appearance in program history at the WCWS. The Cajuns also concluded the third season under head coach Stefni Lotief.
For seniors Summar Lapeyrouse, Becky McMurtry, Michael Parrott and Rachel Reese it marks the end of their collegiate playing days.
"I wouldn't want to end it anywhere but here," McMurtry said on ending her career at the Women's College World Series. "Eight teams out of the entire country made it and we were one of them."
For the rest of the team, it provides a valuable learning experience for a run at the WCWS in 2004.
"I am so proud of this team and the way they fought all season long to get here," said head coach Stefni Lotief. "These girls had a lot of heart and fought through the season's adversities. I am so proud of them."
The Bruins jumped on the board in the first inning on a Claire Sua fielder's choice grounder that scored Caitlin Benyi who had reached on a one-out infield single and advanced over to third base on a single into right field by Tairia Mims.
UCLA (50-7) would extend its lead to 2-0 in the fourth inning on a Mims home run to left field over the portable bleachers just beyond the left field wall. It was Mims' second homer of the tournament and the 60th of her career. It was also the third home run off of Mitchell in the WCWS after she allowed just six home runs in 39 appearances prior to the tournament.
UL Lafayette broke through with its first hit of the game off of UCLA starting pitcher Keira Goerl in the bottom half of the fourth inning when catcher Joy Webre delivered an RBI single deep into the hole in right center field.
"I believe that we fought hard today and tried to make adjustments where we needed to." Lotief said. "We couldn't quite turn the momentum but I think that we stack up as good as any team here."
Webre's single scored senior All-American third baseman Becky McMurtry, but she was thrown out at second by Stephanie Ramos as she was trying to stretch it into a double and ended the Cajuns two-out threat.
The run scored by McMurtry was her 59th of the season which established a career-best for the North Platte, Neb., native.
McMurtry drew a one-out walk to give the Cajuns their first base runner of the game since Jill Robertson led off the bottom of the first inning by reaching on an error by UCLA shortstop Natasha Watley.
After a Gomez fly out, center fielder Tiffany Grayson reached base on Watley's second error of the game to keep the inning alive.
Watley's error set the stage for Webre's single, the Cajuns lone hit of the game, and a run which trimmed the Bruins lead to 2-1 after four complete.
UCLA would create some breathing room with three runs in the sixth inning highlighted by a two-run home run from Monique Mejia that turned a 2-1 advantage into a 4-1 UCLA lead.
The home run was Mejia's first of the WCWS and just the second of her career. It was the fourth homer allowed by Mitchell during the WCWS.
Watley provided the Bruins final run of the day when she drove a double into deep center field that scored Andrea Duran who had doubled the at bat before.
Watley's run-producing hit gave the Bruins a 5-1 lead and chased UL Lafayette starting pitcher Brooke Mitchell.
Mitchell, playing with a biceps injury suffered on championship Sunday in Fullerton, Calif., gave her best shot in the circle and never gave up. The Pasadena, Texas, native was charged with five runs off of nine hits and her second straight loss.
"She has been our go-to pitcher all season," Lotief remarked. "She is unselfish and very giving to the team.
"She relied on her defense when she knew she wasn't 100 percent," Lotief added. "I think that shows her heart, dedication and commitment to this team."
Mitchell ended her sophomore campaign at 26-9 with a 1.11 ERA and 279 strikeouts. She ended the season as the school's all-time single-season strikeout leader.
Goerl collected the win for the Bruins and improved to 36-7. The right-hander struck out eight batters and allowed just one hit and one run (unearned run) in leading the Bruins into an elimination game against Washington in the final game on elimination Saturday at the WCWS.
The Cajuns will return to Lafayette on Sunday, May 25 via charter bus and arrive sometime in the late afternoon.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
