University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Western Kentucky
Mitchell Saves Cajuns Sun Belt Tournament Opening-Win Over WKU
5/8/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Thursday, May 8, 2003
BOWLING
GREEN, Ky. – 2003 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the
Year Brooke Mitchell recorded two strikeouts for her
third save of the season to help the 21st-ranked
Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns softball team to a 2-1 win
over Western Kentucky here Thursday evening in the
quarterfinals of the 2003 Sun Belt Conference Tournament
at the WKU Softball Field.
Mitchell entered the game in relief of Cajuns starter Afton Thoms in the top of the seventh with one out, runners on the corners and the Cajuns on top 2-1.
Mitchell would get Renita Pennington to strikeout swinging for the second out and then after a walk issued to Kristalyn Smith got Shelly Floyd to go down swinging for the third out to strand the bases loaded and hand the Cajuns the victory.
With the win, the Cajuns (41-8) remain undefeated all-time in SBC Tournament play and improved to 11-0 in the league's annual postseason event.
Louisiana-Lafayette also extended its overall season win streak to four games and improved to 13-2 all-time against WKU (3-0 in SBC Tournament play).
UL Lafayette will now face second seed Florida International (36-23) in the winner's bracket and semifinals of the tournament at 1:30 p.m. Friday afternoon.
WKU (29-31) falls into the loser's bracket and will await the winner of the Middle Tennessee-New Mexico State elimination game for a 4 p.m. contest on Friday.
The Cajuns struck first in the bottom of the first inning with two runs for a quick 2-0 lead after one complete.
Jill Robertson led off the inning with a five-pitch, base-on-balls to give the Cajuns a runner at first. Senior All-American and 2003 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year Becky McMurtry then followed with a single into shallow center field to advance Robertson to second.
Robertson was brought home on the very next at bat when 2003 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year Danyele Gomez dumped a single into left field for a 1-0 lead. It was Gomez's team- and Sun Belt-leading 56th RBI of the season.
Freshman Lauren Castle brought home the Cajuns second run of the inning when she scooted a grounder through the left side of the infield that allowed McMurtry to round third and score for a 2-0 lead. That run proved to be the difference maker in what turned out to be a tight ball game.
The Cajuns runs scored in the opening frame marked the 24th time this season that UL Lafayette pushed across at least one run in the first inning of a game.
The Hilltoppers pushed across their lone run in the top of the seventh inning to chase Thoms from the game.
WKU received back-to-back singles from six-hole hitter Samantha Hansen and seven-hole hitter and starting pitcher Adrienne Lathrop. Brandy Hawkins laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to advance pinch runners Becky Minnis and Jennifer Hollingsworth over to second and third.
Riley Garcia picked up her third base hit of the game when she ripped a hard liner through the left side of the infield to score Minnis and trim the Cajuns lead to 2-1.
Garcia would be the last batter that Thoms would face as head coach Stefni Lotief opted for the call to the bullpen and ace Brooke Mitchell for the save.
Mitchell answered the call with a pair of strikeouts to help preserve the Cajuns 11th straight SBC Tournament victory.
WKU's run was the first run scored on the Cajuns in SBC Tournament play since the 2001 event in Las Cruces, N.M. Before Thursday's game, the Cajuns had posted three straight shutouts in SBC Tournament play.
Thoms (13-2) garnered her third straight win over WKU tossing 6 1/3 innings and allowing nine hits and just one run. Mithchell went 2/3 of an inning to collect her third save of the season.
Lathrop (14-11) took the loss for the Hilltoppers. She surrendered six hits and two runs over six innings.
Gomez was the Cajuns top hitter going 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI. Garcia had a game-high three hits and ended the night 3-for-4 with one RBI.
The game was supposed to start at 4 p.m., but rain showers in the Bowling Green area forced postponement of the game until 7:20 p.m. with the conclusion coming shortly after 9 p.m.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
