MOBILE, Ala. – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball team split a tightly-contested doubleheader with South Alabama on the final day of the regular season on Saturday, May 2 at Jaguar Field in Mobile, Alabama, rallying late to claim a 2-1 victory in the opener before falling 4-3 in the finale.
Across both games, Louisiana (28-26, 11-13 SBC) leaned on timely pitching and situational hitting, with both contests on the day decided by a single run. The Ragin’ Cajuns manufactured runs late in game one and erased an early deficit in game two, but ultimately came up just short of a sweep on the day.
As a result of the split, Louisiana narrowly missed out on earning a first-round bye in the May 6-9 SBC Softball Championship Tournament being held at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park and will open play on Wednesday, May 6.
GAME 1
In the opening game of the doubleheader, Louisiana broke through in the final two innings to secure a 2-1 win in a pitcher’s duel.
Mia Norwood delivered a leadoff single to spark the rally in the sixth inning and later scored on Kennedy Marceaux’s RBI double to even the score at 1-1.
Louisiana then capitalized on a wild pitch in the seventh inning to plate the go-ahead run. Brooke Otto led off with a double and Haley Hart’s sacrifice bunt set up pinch runner Erin Ardoin to score what proved to be the game-winner.
In the circle, Lexie Delbrey kept the Jaguars off balance, allowing just one unearned run over 5.1 innings. Julianne Tipton closed the door, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings to earn the win.
South Alabama’s lone run came in the fifth inning on an RBI single, aided by a Louisiana error.
GAME 2
Game two saw a more offensive start, as South Alabama (29-25, 13-11 SBC) struck early with a three-run first inning. The Jaguars used a triple and aggressive baserunning to build a 3-0 advantage before Louisiana escaped the frame.
The Cajuns answered in the second inning, cutting the deficit to 3-2 behind RBI plays from Dayzja Williams and Marceaux. Louisiana later tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth when Cecilia Vasquez delivered perfectly placed squeeze bunt.
The decisive moment came in the sixth inning when South Alabama’s Gracie Dees connected on a solo home run to give the Jaguars a 4-3 lead.
Louisiana was unable to generate a response in its final at-bat.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Offensively on the day, Hart led Louisiana in game two with a 2-for-4 effort, while Williams added two hits and an RBI. Vasquez contributed a hit, RBI, and two walks. In the opener, Marceaux’s RBI double highlighted the Cajuns’ four-hit attack.
In the circle, Delbrey and Tipton combined to limit South Alabama to three hits in game one. In game two, Tipton and Sage Hoover combined to scatter seven hits and hold the Jags scoreless for four-plus innings after the three-run first, with Hoover taking the loss despite allowing just one run over 2.2 innings of relief.
For South Alabama, Dees paced the offense in game two with a home run and two hits, while Olivia Branstetter added two hits and an RBI. In the opener, Ansleigh Smith accounted for the Jaguars’ lone RBI.
Ryley Harrison yielded the Jaguars’ lead in in game one but bounced back in her second relief effort, holding UL to a single run (unearned) and striking out five in the nightcap.
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
The Ragin' Cajuns return home for the 2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship tournament which is set to take place from Wednesday, May 6 through Saturday, May 9 at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park.
The official SBC Championship tournament bracket, and Louisiana’s opening assignment, is being announced in the evening on Saturday, May 2. Fans can purchase tickets by visiting RaginCajuns.com/Tickets [ragincajuns.evenue.net].
Live television coverage through the semifinals is available on ESPN+ while the championship game on Saturday, May 9 will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
Ragin' Cajuns fans can also follow the team throughout the tournament by listening to the radio broadcast on The GOAT 103.3 FM and 1420 AM in the Acadiana region and worldwide on Varsity Network with Cody Junot (pxp) and Bobby Neveaux (analyst) providing commentary.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers