HARRISONBURG, Va. — The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Softball team put the tying run at the plate and the pressure squarely on in the seventh inning, but James Madison slipped out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam to hold on for a 6–2 win on Friday, April 10 in the opening game of a Sun Belt series at Bank of the James Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Virginia.
Louisiana (22–19, 5–8 SBC) refused to go quietly, showing its trademark grit in the final frame but ultimately came up short in its bid for the largest comeback of the season.
By escaping the seventh inning jam, JMU (17-20, 5-8 SBC) claimed an early lead in the three-game SBC set and picked up its first home win over UL in the all-time series.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Brooke Otto jumpstarted the late rally with a solo home run to open the seventh, cutting into the 6-1 deficit and injecting life into the Cajuns’ dugout.
Louisiana kept the line moving from there, drawing three straight walks from Mia Norwood, Haley Hart and Lily Knox to load the bases with no outs and bring the tying run to the plate.
But the Dukes answered as relief pitcher Kirsten Fleet induced a game-saving double play and a groundout to end the threat, stranding three and halting Louisiana’s comeback bid.
JMU built its advantage early starting with a two-run first inning off a home run swing by Kendra Lewis. Kylee Gleason delivered an RBI double in the second inning, stretching the margin to 3–0.
UL began to respond in the third, manufacturing its first run with patience. After Kennedy Marceaux singled, Dayzja Williams and Otto worked walks to load the bases. Hart followed with an RBI walk to bring home Marceaux and cut the deficit to 3–1.
The Dukes answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning, using a leadoff double from Lewis and an RBI double from Payton List to push the lead back to three runs at 4–1.
Bethaney Noble, pitching in relief, held the Dukes down the next two innings but Louisiana missed an opportunity to chip away after loading the bases in the fifth.
JMU added key insurance runs in the sixth inning on a two-run home run from Cali Legzdin.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Otto led Louisiana with two hits and an RBI, while Hart reached base three times and drove in a run. The Cajuns drew eight walks but stranded 12 runners in the contest.
Marceaux’s single in the third inning increased her season-best hitting streak to 10 games. Otto’s home run increased her team-leading total to nine.
Sage Hoover (7-9) was charged with the loss after yielding four runs in two-plus innings. Noble worked 3-2/3 scoreless relief until JMU’s sixth-inning home run.
Lewis and Legzdin each homered to pace the Dukes’ run production. Of the nine hits JMU recorded, seven went for extra bases (five doubles, two home runs).
UP NEXT FOR LOUISIANA
Louisiana and James Madison continue the Sun Belt Conference series at Bank of the James Field at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Virginia on Saturday, April 11. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. (CDT).
The Ragin' Cajuns look to even the series with the Dukes and keep alive the chance for a second consecutive SBC series victory.
Saturday's matchup will be televised on ESPN+ with David Hundley calling the action. Fans can listen 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.
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