Cajuns Run-Rule Western Kentucky in Series Finale

Sunday, May 2, 2004

LAFAYETTE – Freshman Holly Tankersley pitched five innings of two-hit softball and aided her cause by driving in four runs at the plate as No. 10 Louisiana completed a three-game sweep of Western Kentucky with a 9-1 run-rule rout here Sunday evening at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park in the two teams’ series finale.

Tankersley held WKU to two hits and struck out six and an inning later after being relieved by Heather Bobbitt drove home the game-ending runs with a two-RBI double. The Kirbyville, Texas, native ended the game 2-for-4 with a home run, double, two runs scored and four RBI.

The Cajuns tacked on seven runs in the first four innings combined and after a zero-spot in the fifth added two more to win the game by mercy rule.

With the win, Louisiana (48-6, 14-0 Sun Belt) remained unbeaten in Sun Belt play this season and extended its league win streak, dating back to last season’s series at WKU, to 17 games. The Cajuns ended Sun Belt play at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park unscathed (7-0) for the second straight season and extended their home-field SBC streak to 21 consecutive wins dating back to a 7-6 loss to WKU April 6, 2002.

Combined with Middle Tennessee’s split at FIU, the Ragin’ Cajuns now own a five-game lead over the Lady Raiders in the loss column heading into next weekend’s series in Murfreesboro, Tenn., all but assuring the Cajuns of their fourth straight Sun Belt regular season championship based on win percentage. WKU remained in third place, one-half game ahead of fourth-place FIU, and was officially eliminated from title contention.

Brittany Bryant and Tiffany Hebert each collected two hits as the Cajuns picked up 10 total as a team. Hebert went 2-for-3 as she ended the day’s play 4-for-7.

Allison Silver gave up five runs (only one earned) and suffered her second loss of the weekend set as she fell to 17-11 on the season. Adrienne Lathrop, who relived Silver in the fourth, surrendered four runs (all earned) off four hits.

Richardson was the lone bright spot for the Hilltoppers (33-19, 8-7 Sun Belt) as she went 2-for-3 for the second straight game and drove in WKU’s lone run of the game.

The game was the third of the day for both teams after having completed Saturday's first game and playing the first of a regularly scheduled doubleheader.

The Cajuns wasted no time, scoring two runs in the first off a key error by the Hilltoppers. After Hebert grounded out to Silver for the first out, Tankersley reached base on a fielding error by Shelly Floyd at second base. Danyele Gomez then singled through the right side of the infield to advance Tankersley to second.

Ashley Evans then grounded out to Floyd at second for what would have been the third out. Bryant would make the Toppers pay for their mistake on the next at bat as she laced a single into left field to plate Tankersley and Gomez for a quick 2-0 lead.

UL catcher Joy Webre, celebrating her birthday, gave the Cajuns their third run of the contest with a solo home run the next inning. The home run was the junior’s 10th of the season.

Louisiana added two more runs in the third when Lacey Bertucci singled down the left field line to score Tiffany Grayson and Brittany Bryant. Bryant collected a one-out single and Grayson reached on a throwing error from Bailey Rolfs to set up Bertucci’s RBI base hit.

Tankersley hit her 16th home run of the season, and third of the day, in the Cajuns next at bat to produce a 7-0 margin. With the home run, the true freshman tied former All-American Alana Addison for second place on the single-season home run list putting her within four dingers of Danyele Gomez’s record 20 hit last season.

After a scoreless fifth, Western Kentucky plated its lone run of the contest in the top of the sixth.

Back-to-back one-out singles off the bats of Floyd and Rolfs gave the Toppers two baserunners against reliever Heather Bobbitt. Richardson brought Floyd home with WKU’s third straight one-out hit, this one a RBI double that banged off the wall in left center field.

Bobbitt escaped further damage as she induced a grounder by Sam Hansen and a fly out from Lindsay Gatti.

The Cajuns scored both of their runs in the sixth with no outs recorded.

Lathrop issued a leadoff walk to Webre which was followed by back-to-back singles from Desi Chatman and Hebert to load the bases.

Tankersley sewed up her seventh victory of the season when she dumped a double into the right field corner, past the reach of Richardson, to score Webre and Chatman and give UL a 9-1 lead invoking the mercy rule.

Louisiana will finish regular season play next weekend as the 10th-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns travel to Murfreesboro, Tenn., for a four-game series with second-place Middle Tennessee (31-17, 11-5 Sun Belt) Saturday-Sunday, May 8-9 in 1 p.m. doubleheaders. Western Kentucky returns home for a Sun Belt finale with North Texas (19-53, 4-12 Sun Belt).

Louisiana 9, Western Kentucky 1
(May 02, 2004 at Ragin' Cajuns Park)
(Game 2)
Western Kentucky.... 000 001 - 1 5 2 (33-19, 8-7 SUN BELT)
Louisiana.................. 212 202 - 9 10 1 (48-6, 14-0 SUN BELT)

Pitchers: Western Kentucky - Silver; Lathrop(4). Louisiana - Tankersley; Bobbitt(6).
Win-Tankersley(7-1) Loss-Silver(17-11) T-1:52 A-413
HR UL - Tankersley; Webre.
Lathrop faced 4 batters in the 6th.

GAME NOTES:
*Cajuns complete the series sweep and pick up their seventh straight win over Western Kentucky. UL now leads the all-time series 16-2.
*Holly Tankersley tied former All-American Alana Addison for second on the single-season charts after hitting her 16th home run of the season in the fourth inning. Tankersley ended the day 7-for-9 with two doubles, three home runs, seven RBI and five runs scored.
*Tiffany Hebert had her streak of 27 straight games without an error committed when she committed an error in the second inning. The junior shortstop has made just one error in her last 28 outings. She ended the weekend series 4-for-8 and is now 12-for-25 in her last 12 appearances.
*Louisiana extended its Sun Belt win streak, dating back to last season's series at WKU, to 17 straight games and won its 21st straight Sun Belt game at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park.
*Holly Tankersley extended her current hitting streak to five games while Tiffany Hebert's reached four.
*Louisiana improved to 93-11 (.894) at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park under head coach Stefni Lotief

GAME 1

Tiffany Grayson has had many a clutch hit during her four-year career with No. 10 Louisiana.

In the first game of Sunday’s regularly scheduled doubleheader with visiting Western Kentucky the senior outfielder pulled off another huge hit sending a three-run home run over the left center field wall to ignite a four-run sixth inning which helped the host-Cajuns (47-6, 13-0 Sun Belt) pick up a 6-3 victory here Sunday afternoon at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park.

Grayson’s home run, her second of the season, erased a 3-2 Western Kentucky lead and sent UL to its 16th straight Sun Belt Conference victory and kept the Cajuns undefeated in Sun Belt play at 13-0.

WKU (33-18, 8-6 Sun Belt) had taken the lead in the top of the sixth when Jessie Richardson hit a two-run home run off of Brooke Mitchell.

Grayson’s blast helped the Cajuns regain the lead and assured Louisiana of its 20th straight Sun Belt win at Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park. It was also the Cajuns 60th Sun Belt win all-time against five defeats.

Grayson finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three RBI as the Cajuns nine-hole hitter. Freshman Holly Tankersley had an identical 3-for-3 outing driving home two runs and hitting her team-leading 15th home run of the season.

Mitchell (36-3) collected the win for the Cajuns tossing seven innings allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out six.

The win was Mitchell's 36th of the season which establishes a new school record for victories in a single season. Mitchell passed up former teammate Melissa Coronado who held the record after winning 35 games in 2001.

Richardson led the Hilltoppers with a 2-for-3 showing that produced one home run and two RBI.

Adrienne Lathrop suffered the loss for WKU allowing six runs (one earned) off seven hits. The sophomore hurler had her personal six-game winning streak snapped and fell to 14-8.

The Hilltoppers struck first with a run in the second inning. A bases loaded bloop single by pinch hitter Natasha Sevco brought home pinch runner Jessica Ballance for a 1-0 lead. Sevco pinch hit for Dana Rey with a full count after Rey was struck in the face by a rebounding foul ball and forced to leave the game.

Defensive miscues down the stretch plagued WKU and eventually led to Cajun runs.

In the third inning, catcher Joy Webre reached on a fielding error by Rolfs and two batters later scored on an RBI single by Tankersley to tie the game 1-1.

The Cajuns took the lead in the fifth on another Hilltopper miscue.

Grayson led off the inning with a double into the left field corner. Hillary Guidry pinch hit for Tiffany Hebert to execute the sacrifice bunt and would reach first base when Sevco’s throw went wild and to the left of Shelly Floyd covering at first base. The ball rolled down the right field line allowing Grayson to score for a 2-1 lead.

WKU took the lead off Richardson’s home run in top half of the sixth, but errors by Sevco in the bottom half of the inning led to four unearned runs for the Cajuns.

Lacey Bertucci led off the inning with a grounder to Sevco at third that went between her legs after picking up her glove too early. On the next play, Sevco fielded a grounder from Crystal George and went for the force at second but her throw pulled Floyd off the bag for what would have been the second out.

Joy Webre then laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved pinch runner Christine Collins and George over to second and third. Grayson then greeted Lathrop with the game-winning home run to give the Cajuns a 5-3 lead.

Tankersley added her second home run of the day for good measure.

Louisiana 6, Western Kentucky 3
(May 02, 2004 at Ragin' Cajuns Park)
(Game 1)
Western Kentucky.... 010 002 0 - 3 7 4 (33-18, 8-6 SUN BELT)
Louisiana.................. 001 014 X - 6 7 0 (47-6, 13-0 SUN BELT)

Pitchers: Western Kentucky - Lathrop. Louisiana-Lafayette - Mitchell.
Win-Mitchell(36-3) Loss-Lathrop(14-8) T-2:21
HR WKU - Richardson.
HR UL - Tankersley; Grayson.

GAME NOTES:
*Brooke Mitchell won her 36th game of the season, setting the school single-season record for wins. She broke the previous record of 35 set by Melissa Coronado in 2001.
*UL's 20th straight Sun Belt win at Ragin' Cajuns Softball Park.
*The Cajuns picked up their 16th straight Sun Belt win dating back to last season's series at WKU.
*WKU third baseman Dana Rey left the game in the second inning after a foul ball rebounded and struck her in her face. She was replaced by Natasha Sevco.
*Three earned runs allowed by the Cajuns were the most given up in Sun Belt play this season. UL has only given up five earned runs through 87 innings of Sun Belt action.


-LOUISIANA’S RAGIN’ CAJUNS