University of Louisiana at Lafayette Athletics
Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
Texas Southern
Mitchell's Masterpiece Tames the Wolfpack as Cajuns Win Streak Presses On
2/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Saturday, Feb. 28, 2004
Mitchell struck out a school-record 22 and crafted her fifth no-hitter of the season and second in as many days as No. 10 Louisiana-Lafayette (19-1) earned a hard-fought 1-0, nine-inning win over Nevada (8-7) in the Cowgirl Classic. On Friday she turned the trick on the Wolfpack in a 2-1 win.
The win wrapped up another day of two wins for the Ragin' Cajuns in the tournament and extended their season-high win streak to 17 games which is tied for the fifth longest streak in program history.
A pair of wins Sunday and the win streak would be the longest under head coach Stefni Lotief and tie the second-longest streak in program history set March 6-25, 1990.
Mitchell and UN starting pitcher Judith van Kampen were locked into a pitcher's duel until the Cajuns final at bat.
Mitchell
(14-1) struck out the Wolfpack's first nine hitters and
had a perfect game going until issuing a walk to leadoff
batter Jiliane Hartifel in the top of the fourth. She
then roared back and struck out the next three batters
making the first 12 outs she recorded strikeouts.
van Kampen was equal to the task, scattering three hits over the first eight innings, striking out seven.
After Mitchell retired the side in the top of the ninth, Louisiana-Lafayette sent the top of its lineup to the plate for its half of the ninth.
After a hard line drive hit by Hillary Guidry straight at UN second baseman Jamie Waldron for the first out, Holly Tankersley picked up the Cajuns fourth hit of the game when she lifted a single into right center field.
The Kirbyville, Texas, native then swiped second base a couple of pitches later to set the stage for Gomez's game-winning hit.
Gomez
(right) ended the game 2-for-4 with the lone RBI.
Hillary Guidry, who led off the game with a double off
the top of the right field wall, Ashley Evans and Holly Tankersley had the other three of the Cajuns five hits.
Guidry's leadoff double presented the best opportunity to win the game in regulation.
After Tankersley struck out swinging Gomez picked up her first hit of the game when she singled into the left field gap advancing Guidry to third. A throwing error from Stockstill allowed Gomez to advance to third with one out.
Lacey Bertucci struck out swinging and Evans fouled out UN catcher Lindsey Hall to end the threat.
Then in the seventh inning, Evans reached base on a single and stole second to get in scoring position with two outs.
Joy Webre (left) then lifted a fly ball into the left field gap, but UN center fielder Stacy Mueller made a charging stab for the third out to send the game into the extra session.
Mitchell's strikeout total moved her to 195 for the season in 100 1/3 innings.
Earlier in the day, the Cajuns sent 18 batters to the plate in the first inning scoring 12 runs off of nine hits en route to a 16-0 run-rule win over Texas Southern (0-10) in five innings.
Tankersely went 4-for-4 with an RBI as her season batting average climbed above the .400 mark.
Sulphur
native Christine Collins (left) drove in a game-high
three RBI.
Freshman pitcher Heather Bobbitt (3-0) tossed five innings scattering four hits while striking out seven.
For the game, UL Lafayette pounded out 17 hits with four of them being doubles.
Louisiana-Lafayette wraps up its stay at the McNeese Cowgirl Classic Sunday with games against Texas Southern at 2:30 p.m. and host-McNeese State at 4:45 p.m. in the tournament finale.
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
