LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team dropped a 3-0 decision to ULM in the quarterfinal round of the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship tournament on Thursday, May 7 at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
ULM used a pair of runs in the fifth inning and added insurance in the sixth while Ashanti McDade held the Ragin’ Cajuns to four hits in a complete-game effort.
For four innings, Louisiana (29-27) matched ULM (38-19) pitch-for-pitch behind starter Bethaney Noble, who scattered three hits and kept the Warhawks off the board through the opening four frames. The Cajuns had early opportunities offensively, placing runners on base in the first, third and sixth innings, but were unable to deliver the timely hit needed to break through.
The loss eliminated the Ragin' Cajuns from the SBC Championship tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
ULM broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth after Carys Platt reached on a bunt single and advanced to third following a throwing error on a fielder’s choice.
Following a pitching change to Julianne Tipton, Olivia Faggard produced the game’s first run with an RBI fielder’s choice to score Platt. Later in the inning, pinch hitter Hollie Thomas lifted a sacrifice fly to right field that brought home Brooklin Lippert and pushed the Warhawks ahead 2-0.
The Warhawks added another run in the sixth inning when Meagan Brown singled up the middle to plate Elle Carter, who had opened the frame with a bunt single. ULM stranded three runners in the inning but maintained a 3-0 advantage heading to the seventh.
Louisiana’s best scoring chance came in the sixth inning when Kennedy Marceaux singled and Haley Hart later added a two-out single down the left-field line. McDade escaped the threat by inducing a fielder’s choice to end the inning before retiring the Cajuns in order in the seventh.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Mia Liscano led Louisiana offensively with two hits, while Marceaux and Hart added one hit apiece.
For Liscano, Thursday’s effort marked her team-leading 17th multiple-hit game of the season, second two-hit performance of the tournament and it increased her team-leading hits total to 59. She raised her season average to .410 as she finished the season batting .390-plus for the final 42 games straight.
Marceaux joined Liscano in registering a hit in both of UL’s postseason contests. Hart finished her collegiate rookie season batting .364 and tied with Marceaux for the second-most hits on the squad with 56.
Noble was charged with the loss after allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits over 4.0 innings with one strikeout. Tipton allowed one run on two hits across the final two innings.
ULM was paced by Carter’s two-hit performance, while Brown and Faggard each drove in a run. McDade earned the complete-game shutout victory, allowing four hits with two strikeouts across 7.0 innings.