Ardoin, Morris Named Sun Belt Players of the Week
Junior duo helps lift Cajuns to first place in Sun Belt Conference
April 12, 2004
NEW ORLEANS-Junior pitcher Kevin Ardoin and third baseman Dallas Morris were named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher and Hitter of the Week, respectively, as announced Monday by the conference office.
It is third and fourth weekly award that UL has received this season.
It was the first time this season that a school swept the pitcher and hitter awards in the same week.
It was also the first time since April 1, 2002, that the Cajuns had swept Sun Belt weekly honors. That week, Justin Gabriel and Bryan Sneed were tabbed Sun Belt Conference Pitcher and Hitter of the Week, respectively.
Ardoin (4-1) took the mound for the Cajuns Friday night and delivered a complete-game 11-1 victory over New Mexico State. Ardoin allowed one run, while scattering seven hits and striking out five Aggies. The Eunice, La., native leads the team in strikeouts (57), earned run average (1.82), and innings pitched (64.1).
Morris continued his stellar season over the weekend, helping lead the Cajuns (22-9, 7-2) to a three-game sweep of New Mexico State and first place in the Sun Belt Conference. The Destin, Fla., native went 10-for-17 with three home runs and six RBIs for the week. Against New Mexico State, he went 6-for-12 with two home runs and four RBIs.
Morris now leads the team in batting average (.389), home runs (10), and RBIs (39).
On Wednesday night, Morris went 4-for-5, including a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth which cut the Northwestern State lead to 4-3. The Cajuns later tied the game, sending it into extra innings and ultimately winning 5-4 in the 11th inning.
On Friday, Morris had a relatively quiet night, going 1-for-5 with a run. However, Morris saved the best for Saturday’s twinbill.
In game one, he went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Cajuns an early lead. UL never relinquished the lead in that game and Morris later added a triple, securing a 13-4 Cajuns victory.
In the night cap, Morris went 3-for-4 with his second home run of the day, also adding a single and double to his credit. UL earned the sweep after posting a decisive 9-5 victory Saturday night.
During the doubleheader, Morris hit for the cycle in four consecutive at-bats.
Louisiana’s Ragin’ Cajuns will be back in action Tuesday when they travel to Lake Charles to take on the McNeese State Cowboys (16-18) in a 7 p.m. showdown at the Cowboy Diamond.
2004 Louisiana Baseball Weekly Honors
Hitter of the Week
March 22 - Phillip Hawke
April 12 - Dallas Morris
Pitcher of the Week
March 2 - Kevin Ardoin
April 12 - Kevin Ardoin
College Baseball Insider National Player of the Week
March 2 - Kevin Ardoin
Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball Player of the Week
March 22 - Phillip Hawke
-- Ragin' Cajuns --
And here's a shocker
Brooke Mitchell Claims Another Sun Belt Weekly Award
Monday, April 12, 2004
LAFAYETTE– Louisiana junior ace hurler Brooke Mitchell added another gem to her stash of honors this season when she was named the Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Week on Monday.
The 2004 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award finalist picked up her league-high seventh honor for her efforts in leading the eighth-ranked Ragin’ Cajuns (35-4, 3-0 Sun Belt) to three wins this past weekend at New Mexico State.
The Cajuns have now won 33 weekly honors in three-plus seasons under former Ragin’ Cajuns All-American and current head coach Stefni Lotief. Louisiana has now picked up 10 weekly awards this season including seven of the nine pitcher awards handed out.
The Pasadena, Texas, native has now won the weekly award 10 times in her career.
Mitchell picked up all three wins for the Cajuns this past weekend at New Mexico State increasing her season win total to 29 and her personal winning streak to seven games. Her overall record now stands at 29-3 and her ERA a microscopic 0.56.
Her win in the first game of the series set her personal single-season best and the win in the third game moved her into the Top 5 on the single-season charts and within one of fourth on the career list.
She tossed 11 innings versus the Aggies, allowing just four hits while striking out 16 in abbreviated ppearances. The Pasadena, Texas, native combined with freshman Heather Bobbitt for two shutouts and held the Aggies to a .114 batting average.
The right-handed hurler did not allow an eared run as she extended her streak of consecutive innings without an earned run allowed to 24 2/3 innings.
Mitchell’s fourth strikeout of the second game Saturday against NMSU was the 800th of her career making her just the second pitcher in program history to reach 800 strikeouts.
She currently has 804 career whiffs and needs 16 to tie Kyla Hall’s career record of 820 set from 1991-94.
Mitchell and her teammates will be back in action on Wednesday, April 14, as the Cajuns travel to Ruston for a 4 p.m. doubleheader against Louisiana Tech. The twinbill will mark the end of Louisiana's current eight-game road trip.
Following the La. Tech double-dip, the Ragin’ Cajuns will be back at the friendly confines of Ragin’ Cajuns Softball Park for a Sun Belt series against Florida International (22-23, 4-0 Sun Belt).
2004 LOUISIANA SOFTBALL WEEKLY HONORS
Hitter of the Week
Feb. 17 - Holly Tankersley
March 2 - Holly Tankersley
April 5 - Holly Tankersley
Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 17 - Brooke Mitchell
Feb. 24 - Brooke Mitchell
March 2 - Brooke Mitchell
March 9 - Brooke Mitchell
March 22 - Brooke Mitchell
April 5 - Brooke Mitchell
April 12 - Brooke Mitchell
-- Ragin’ Cajuns --
Can we name the softball pitcher of the week to the "Who did better than Brooke Mitchell this week?" Award!!!
<a href='http://www.ragincajuns.com/softball/Stories/2004/softball041204sbcpow.htm' target='_blank'>Softball article</a>
<a href='http://www.ragincajuns.com/baseball/Stories/2004/041204SBCPOTW.html' target='_blank'>Baseball article</a>