Temple University Athletics
#9 RAGIN' CAJUNS ELIMINATE OWLS FROM NCAA TOURNAMENT WITH A 8-1 VICTORY
5.22.04 | Softball
Louisiana-Lafayette (56-7) shut down the Owls offensively, as starting pitcher Holly Tankersley and reliever Heather Bobbitt allowed only three hits and combined for 12 strikeouts on the day. Following a shutout loss to top-ranked Arizona earlier in the day, the Ragin' Cajuns retaliated against Temple and scored eight runs on 10 hits.
A Kim Watkins' wild pitch allowed Louisiana-Lafayette to notch its first run in the top of the third inning.
The Ragin' Cajuns dominated the Owls by scoring three runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth. With runners on second and third in the fourth, Desi Chatman drove in the first run of the inning on a hard hit ground ball single to center field. A fielding error by Temple centerfielder Katie Weigle allowed the second run of the inning to score. Crystal George sent the final run of the inning across the plate on a double to left.
RBI singles by Hillary Guidry and Tankersley, as well as an Danyele Gomez RBI double, scored three runs for the Ragin' Cajuns in the top of the sixth. Louisiana-Lafayette pick up its final run on another Weigle error.
Temple scored its lone run in the bottom of the sixth as Tankersley walked home Brandie Mora. Following two walks and catcher's interference, the bases were loaded for Dawn Fegeley. In her first NCAA Regional Tournament at-bat, Fegeley patiently judged each pitch and took the fourth ball to walk home Temple's only run of the game.
On the mound for the Owls, Kim Watkins (11-2) gave up four runs on five hits in three innings in losing for the first time in nearly two months. She struck out two Ragin' Cajuns and allowed three earned runs. In four innings of relief, Richelle Villescas recorded identical numbers with the exception of accruing four earned runs.
Temple finished the 2004 season with a 30-18 overall record, its first outright Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship and berth in the NCAA Regional Tournament. The Owls posted the program's highest winning percentage (.625) since the 1989 team went 31-18, registering a .633 winning percentage.
